The Citation Rankings (Highly Cited Researchers) highlight the most cited and influential researchers across a vast range of scientific fields, covering 197 main and sub-disciplines, including the Art and Humanities Citation Rankings and Social Sciences and Humanities Citation Rankings. This service, offered exclusively by AD Scientific Index, aims to provide a balanced perspective by excluding data from CERN and other statistical sources that disproportionately favor certain researchers, particularly in the social sciences and humanities. This unique approach addresses the advantages researchers with multi-author publications and CERN involvement hold over others. Furthermore, citation rankings help uncover rule violations and unethical practices within the research community. For more detailed citation analyses, explore the Scientists Last 6 Years Citation Index, Universities Total Citations Rankings 2025, and Universities Last 6 Years Citations Rankings 2025.
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :1
Cities
Regions
Economic geography
Economic development
Urban planning
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
14,099
5,418
0.384
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :2
Urban studies
housing
informal settlements
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,725
1,763
0.373
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :3
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,774
1,631
0.432
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :4
sustainability
regenerative design
urban resilience
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,573
1,869
0.523
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :5
urban planning
cities
governance
china
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,036
1,374
0.453
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :6
Urban planning
urban infrastructure
smart cities
technology and planning
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,340
1,617
0.691
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :7
Urban and tourism development
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,296
1,183
0.515
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :8
urban politics and governance
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,740
803
0.461
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :9
Complex social-ecological systems
resilience
monitoring
evaluation and learning
environmental management
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,732
1,063
0.614
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :10
housing and informal settlements
everyday practices
state development and urban policy
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,421
781
0.550
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :11
metal oxide synthesis
gas sensors
wastewater treatment
water splitting
energy storage
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,418
1,145
0.807
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :12
Transportation Planning
Infrastructure and Services
Sustainable Human Settlements
Planning Law
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,220
769
0.630
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :13
Planning theory
ethics
planning education
engaged scholarship
decoloniality
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
805
420
0.522
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :14
Urban and Regional Planning
Regional Policy
Planning Law
Regional Economics
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
682
424
0.622
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :15
Resilience
complex adaptive systems
land use management
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
600
548
0.913
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :16
Land tenure
cadastral systems
high water mark
coastal cadastre
communal
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
596
420
0.705
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :17
Architecture
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
530
314
0.592
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :18
Urban and Regional Planning
Low-cost Housing
Informal Rental Housing
Green Urbanism
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
312
288
0.923
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :19
Urban planning
disaster risk reduction
built environment
spatial planning
climate change adaptation
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
308
210
0.682
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :20
urban planning policy and housing
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
304
172
0.566
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :21
Urban Planning
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
250
118
0.472
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :22
GIS
Digital Transformation
Smart Cities
Spatial analysis
Urban planning
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
232
221
0.953
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :23
Environmental Mgt
Urban Planning & Development
Housing
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
206
205
0.995
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :24
Architecture City Planning Urban Design Landscape Architecture Heritage resources management
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
194
46
0.237
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :25
Architecture
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
166
89
0.536
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
64,813
222
3
Ranking Based On Selection: 1
Ivan Turok
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
14,099
5,418
0.384
Cities
Regions
Economic geography
Economic development
Urban planning
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
216,355
909
116
Ranking Based On Selection: 2
Marie Huchzermeyer
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,725
1,763
0.373
Urban studies
housing
informal settlements
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
265,679
1,141
139
Ranking Based On Selection: 3
Alison Todes
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,774
1,631
0.432
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
278,466
1,199
104
Ranking Based On Selection: 4
Chrisna Du Plessis
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,573
1,869
0.523
sustainability
regenerative design
urban resilience
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
319,569
1,430
169
Ranking Based On Selection: 5
Philip Harrison
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,036
1,374
0.453
urban planning
cities
governance
china
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
392,671
1,827
354
Ranking Based On Selection: 6
Nancy Odendaal
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,340
1,617
0.691
Urban planning
urban infrastructure
smart cities
technology and planning
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
398,219
1,857
240
Ranking Based On Selection: 7
Ronnie Donaldson
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,296
1,183
0.515
Urban and tourism development
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
485,554
2,312
252
Ranking Based On Selection: 8
Claire Bénit-Gbaffou
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,740
803
0.461
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
487,014
2,325
255
Ranking Based On Selection: 9
Karen Kotschy
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,732
1,063
0.614
Complex social-ecological systems
resilience
monitoring
evaluation and learning
environmental management
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
553,952
2,720
289
Ranking Based On Selection: 10
Sarah Charlton
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,421
781
0.550
housing and informal settlements
everyday practices
state development and urban policy
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
554,628
2,726
32
Ranking Based On Selection: 11
Bertrand Tumbain Sone
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,418
1,145
0.807
metal oxide synthesis
gas sensors
wastewater treatment
water splitting
energy storage
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
607,108
3,061
26
Ranking Based On Selection: 12
James Chakwizira
University of Venda
Thohoyandou, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,220
769
0.630
Transportation Planning
Infrastructure and Services
Sustainable Human Settlements
Planning Law
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
756,225
3,912
626
Ranking Based On Selection: 13
Tanja Winkler
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
805
420
0.522
Planning theory
ethics
planning education
engaged scholarship
decoloniality
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
813,321
4,265
232
Ranking Based On Selection: 14
Ernst Drewes
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
682
424
0.622
Urban and Regional Planning
Regional Policy
Planning Law
Regional Economics
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
855,591
4,537
127
Ranking Based On Selection: 15
Verna Nel
University of the Free State
Bloemfontein, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
600
548
0.913
Resilience
complex adaptive systems
land use management
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
857,897
4,553
699
Ranking Based On Selection: 16
Jennifer Whittal
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
596
420
0.705
Land tenure
cadastral systems
high water mark
coastal cadastre
communal
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
895,804
4,810
84
Ranking Based On Selection: 17
Gerald Steyn
Tshwane University of Technology
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
530
314
0.592
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,107,948
6,555
391
Ranking Based On Selection: 18
Louis Lategan
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
312
288
0.923
Urban and Regional Planning
Low-cost Housing
Informal Rental Housing
Green Urbanism
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,113,820
6,595
152
Ranking Based On Selection: 19
Willemien Van Niekerk (Faling)
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
308
210
0.682
Urban planning
disaster risk reduction
built environment
spatial planning
climate change adaptation
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,119,328
6,643
656
Ranking Based On Selection: 20
Neil Klug
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
304
172
0.566
urban planning policy and housing
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,201,353
7,369
555
Ranking Based On Selection: 21
Koyi Mchunu
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
250
118
0.472
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,231,757
7,632
607
Ranking Based On Selection: 22
Thembani Moyo
University of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
232
221
0.953
GIS
Digital Transformation
Smart Cities
Spatial analysis
Urban planning
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,281,672
8,079
495
Ranking Based On Selection: 23
Gloria U. Fayomi
University of South Africa
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
206
205
0.995
Environmental Mgt
Urban Planning & Development
Housing
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,309,086
8,325
1,036
Ranking Based On Selection: 24
Fabio Todeschini
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
194
46
0.237
Architecture City Planning Urban Design Landscape Architecture Heritage resources management
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,375,482
8,908
1,078
Ranking Based On Selection: 25
Nic Coetzer
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
166
89
0.536