Citation Rankings
Highly Cited Researchers
Natural Sciences Highly Cited Researchers 2.183 Scientists Citation in South Africa Rankings - 2025
The Citation Rankings (Highly Cited Researchers) list 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
High Energy Particle Physics
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
296,062
111,857
0.378
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 2
carbon cycle
savannas
earth observation
biodiversity
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
188,281
64,823
0.344
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 3
HEP
LHC
ATLAS
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
142,848
83,245
0.583
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 4
Particle Physics
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
137,934
54,978
0.399
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 5
invasion ecology
invasion biology
invasion science
conservation biology
biological invasions
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
101,136
38,338
0.379
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 6
Physics
Thermal Models
particle Physics
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
86,025
36,728
0.427
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 7
Nuclear Physics
Particle Physics
Diamond Physics
Quantum Physics
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
81,479
35,174
0.432
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 8
Condensed Matter
Density Functional Theory
Electronic Structure
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
80,450
38,131
0.474
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 9
High Energy physics
Grid Computing
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
77,287
36,580
0.473
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 10
Ecology
evolution
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
69,468
26,303
0.379
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 11
Astrophysics
Cosmology
Astro-Particle Physics
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
64,170
25,311
0.394
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 12
High Energy Physics
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
56,213
49,168
0.875
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 13
medicinal chemistry
peptides
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
55,951
23,386
0.418
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 14
Ecology
conservation Biology
Earth system science
Climate change
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
50,239
20,362
0.405
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 15
Relativity
cosmology
complexity
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
50,185
11,669
0.233
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 16
Mycobacteriology
Molecular Biology
Public Health
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
48,022
24,382
0.508
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 17
gamma-ray astronomy
Cosmic Rays
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
47,476
15,433
0.325
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 18
Astroparticle Physics
High Energy Astrophysics
Gamma-ray Astronomy
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
46,176
18,581
0.402
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 19
Plant diversity and evolution
palaeovegetation science
conservation science
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
46,133
10,380
0.225
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 20
corrosion
corrosion inhibition
corrosion of metals
adsorption
quantum chemical calculations
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
40,098
23,835
0.594
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 21
Photophysics
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
36,173
11,820
0.327
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 22
Astrophysics
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
35,960
19,538
0.543
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 23
Astrophysics
Observational Optical/Infrared/Radio Galaxy Evolution
Cloud Computing
Machine Learning
Statistics
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
33,456
13,831
0.413
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 24
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
32,298
7,467
0.231
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 25
Open quantum systems
quantum information processing and communication
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
30,662
17,358
0.566
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
243
1
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 1
Sahal Yacoob
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
296,062
111,857
0.378
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
960
3
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 2
Robert J Scholes
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
188,281
64,823
0.344
carbon cycle
savannas
earth observation
biodiversity
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,611
5
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 3
Loan Truong
University of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
142,848
83,245
0.583
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,729
6
2
Ranking Based On Selection: 4
Bruce Mellado
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
137,934
54,978
0.399
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
3,151
9
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 5
David M. Richardson
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
101,136
38,338
0.379
invasion ecology
invasion biology
invasion science
conservation biology
biological invasions
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
4,218
10
6
Ranking Based On Selection: 6
Jean Cleymans
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
86,025
36,728
0.427
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
4,647
11
2
Ranking Based On Selection: 7
Simon Connell
University of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
81,479
35,174
0.432
Nuclear Physics
Particle Physics
Diamond Physics
Quantum Physics
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
4,753
13
3
Ranking Based On Selection: 8
Daniel Joubert
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
80,450
38,131
0.474
Condensed Matter
Density Functional Theory
Electronic Structure
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
5,092
14
4
Ranking Based On Selection: 9
Zeblon Vilakazi
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
77,287
36,580
0.473
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
6,056
18
9
Ranking Based On Selection: 10
William Bond
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
69,468
26,303
0.379
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
6,889
23
7
Ranking Based On Selection: 11
Sergio Colafrancesco
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
64,170
25,311
0.394
Astrophysics
Cosmology
Astro-Particle Physics
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
8,539
25
8
Ranking Based On Selection: 12
Joyful Mdhluli
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
56,213
49,168
0.875
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
8,600
26
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 13
Fernando Albericio
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
55,951
23,386
0.418
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
10,200
28
3
Ranking Based On Selection: 14
Guy Midgley
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
50,239
20,362
0.405
Ecology
conservation Biology
Earth system science
Climate change
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
10,219
29
12
Ranking Based On Selection: 15
George FR Ellis
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
50,185
11,669
0.233
Relativity
cosmology
complexity
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
10,933
31
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 16
Nazir Ismail
National Institute for Communicable Diseases
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
48,022
24,382
0.508
Mycobacteriology
Molecular Biology
Public Health
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
11,103
32
10
Ranking Based On Selection: 17
Nukri Komin
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
47,476
15,433
0.325
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
11,616
35
3
Ranking Based On Selection: 18
Soebur Razzaque
University of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
46,176
18,581
0.402
Astroparticle Physics
High Energy Astrophysics
Gamma-ray Astronomy
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
11,636
36
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 19
Richard M. Cowling
Nelson Mandela University
Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
46,133
10,380
0.225
Plant diversity and evolution
palaeovegetation science
conservation science
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
14,626
43
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 20
Eno E. Ebenso
University of South Africa
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
40,098
23,835
0.594
corrosion
corrosion inhibition
corrosion of metals
adsorption
quantum chemical calculations
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
17,197
48
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 21
Tebello Nyokong
Rhodes University
Grahamstown, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
36,173
11,820
0.327
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
17,355
49
12
Ranking Based On Selection: 22
Andrew Chen
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
35,960
19,538
0.543
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
19,381
54
18
Ranking Based On Selection: 23
Mattia Vaccari
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
33,456
13,831
0.413
Astrophysics
Observational Optical/Infrared/Radio Galaxy Evolution
Cloud Computing
Machine Learning
Statistics
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
20,491
58
19
Ranking Based On Selection: 24
Bruce Hewitson
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
32,298
7,467
0.231
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
22,190
63
7
Ranking Based On Selection: 25
Francesco Petruccione
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
30,662
17,358
0.566
Open quantum systems
quantum information processing and communication