ISRO researcher Devdas Menon ranked among world's top 2% scientists

Devdas Menon, a researcher from the state associated with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has been included in the Stanford University-Elsevier list of the world's top 2% scientists for the second consecutive year. According to a report by The Hindu, he is the only researcher from India included in the subfield of Communication and Media Studies.

A native of Chikkaballapur, Devdas Menon is currently working as a Communication Researcher at ISRO's Development and Educational Communication Unit (DECU) located in Ahmedabad. He holds a Master's degree in Electronic Media from Bangalore University. Prior to joining this position, he served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Media and Communication at Tamil Nadu Central University.

Menon's research primarily focuses on cyber psychology and the behaviour of digital media users in India. His work includes psychological factors affecting the use of short-form video platforms such as Instagram Reels, subscriptions and viewing patterns on over-the-top (OTT) platforms, as well as the adoption of conversational Artificial Intelligence. His research attempts to adapt media and technology-use models developed in Western contexts to India's social and cultural conditions.

His future research interests will include generative AI, deepfakes, and the psychological impacts of algorithmic influence. The Stanford-Elsevier list uses standardized bibliometric indices based on Scopus data to evaluate research impact across various subjects.

Globally, Devdas Menon's overall rank is 56,727, while his rank in his specific subfield is 790. Through this achievement, he has represented Indian researchers on a global scale.