Schmidt Science Fellows · 2026 Edition
Science measures everything.
Except how much it's changing.
The Leap Index is the first global benchmark measuring how far scientists and institutions are crossing disciplinary boundaries — and what happens when they do.
- 20
- Institutions ranked
- 99
- Highest Leap Score
- +9pts
- Biggest institutional jump
- 38%
- Of leaps cross hard science/social science divide
About the Index
What is the Leap Index?
The Leap Index measures the disciplinary distance between where a scientist began their career and where their research takes them. Institutions are scored on how well they enable and reward those leaps.
Produced in association with Times Higher Education, the Index builds on the existing IS Rankings by adding the dimension that's always been missing: individual courage.
Read the key findings →911
Institutions ranked
99
Highest Leap Score
+9pts
Biggest institutional jump
38%
Of leaps cross hard science/social science divide
2026 Rankings
Top 10 Institutions
| # | Institution | Leap Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology3 fellows | 94/100 |
| 2 | ETH Zürich1 fellow | 91/100 |
| 3 | University of Tokyo1 fellow | 88/100 |
| 4 | Stanford University | 87/100 |
| 5 | Imperial College London1 fellow | 85/100 |
| 6 | Karolinska Institutet | 83/100 |
| 7 | National University of Singapore1 fellow | 82/100 |
| 8 | University of Cambridge | 81/100 |
| 9 | University of Toronto | 79/100 |
| 10 | Tsinghua University | 78/100 |
Featured leaper
This year's highest leap
Dr. Anika Osei
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cohort 2023
Dr. Anika Osei
Quantum Physics → Neuroscience
“Everyone told me it was a career risk. My quantum physics advisor said "brains aren't computers." My neuroscience collaborators said "this isn't how we do things." They were both right, which is probably why nobody had tried it.”
Two Nature papers on ion channel gating dynamics. Received a $3.2M NIH Pioneer Award to pursue the quantum neuroscience hypothesis.
Read full story →The full 2026 report is now available
911 institutions ranked. 10 scientist profiles. 5 key findings. One methodology that changes how we measure scientific progress.
Free to download. No registration required.