Citation Rankings
Highly Cited Researchers
Highly Cited Researchers 1.323 Scientists Citation Rankings (Sort by last 6 years Citation Index) - 2025
Discover the world’s highly cited researchers through the AD Scientific Index 2025 Citation Rankings.
These rankings evaluate scientists based on their total and recent citation counts, capturing the breadth and real-time currency of academic recognition. Citation data reveals how widely a scholar’s work is referenced, applied, and extended across diverse disciplines. The rankings are routinely updated to reflect ongoing citation growth, while eliminating distortions from excessive co-authorship and institutional inflation. Premium tools provide access to detailed citation dynamics, unethical citation behavior detection, and field-normalized benchmarking.
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 1
Microbial Ecology
Soil Metagenomics
Plant-Microbe Interaction
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
29,216
25,550
0.875
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* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 2
Pulsars
gamma-ray astronomy
globular clusters
cosmic ray
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
42,332
13,864
0.328
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 3
Environmental
Health
& Development Economic
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
16,519
10,987
0.665
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 4
Astrophysic
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
25,587
10,266
0.401
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 5
Astrophysics
Astronom
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
16,202
9,198
0.568
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 6
Thermodynamics of solution
DESs
Ionic Liquids
Corrosion
Separation Technolog
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
12,331
8,921
0.723
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 7
Employability
Capabilities
Flourishing
Well-being
Positive Organisation
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
20,150
8,879
0.441
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 8
membranes
hydrogen
fuel cells
electrolysi
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
11,102
8,297
0.747
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 9
Materials Chemistry
Green Chemistry
Chemical Engineering
Water Treatment
Environmental Analysi
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
8,985
7,602
0.846
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* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 10
Low Noise Amplifiers
Gamma-ray astrophysic
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
13,055
7,392
0.566
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 11
gamma-ray energy
blazars
active galaxies
AG
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
9,632
7,195
0.747
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 12
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
19,200
5,420
0.282
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 13
Geoecolog
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
11,411
5,246
0.460
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 14
Botany
IKS
Plant Science
Ethnopharmacology
Ethnobotan
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,175
5,149
0.718
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 15
Differential Equation
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,744
4,755
0.614
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 16
Urban ecology
Vegetation scienc
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,603
4,753
0.625
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 17
Epidemiology of non-communicable disease
cardiovascular health promotio
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,589
4,384
0.784
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 18
16S rRNA gene
bacterial diversity
insect gut bacteria
microbial community
Metagenomic
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
10,862
4,341
0.400
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 19
Agricultural Entomology
Environmental Science
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,755
4,094
0.528
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 20
Astrophysics
gamma-ray astronomy
pulsar wind nebula
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,229
4,087
0.782
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 21
positive psychology
meaning
relational well-being
cultures of positivit
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
8,060
3,984
0.494
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 22
Ecotoxicolog
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,916
3,851
0.486
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 23
Plant-Microbe Interactions
Environmental Microbiology
Molecular Biology
Food Securit
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,027
3,832
0.952
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 24
Environmental Microbiology
Bioremediation
Biopolymer
Plant-soil-microbe interaction
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,036
3,647
0.904
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 25
Aquatic Parasitology
Ecosystem Health
Aquatic Ecology
Marine Parasitolog
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,958
3,490
0.586
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
8,530
38
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 1
Olubukola Oluranti Babalola
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
29,216
25,550
0.875
Microbial Ecology
Soil Metagenomics
Plant-Microbe Interaction
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
21,650
86
2
Ranking Based On Selection: 2
Christo Venter
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
42,332
13,864
0.328
Pulsars
gamma-ray astronomy
globular clusters
cosmic ray
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
30,724
124
3
Ranking Based On Selection: 3
AS Oyekale
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
16,519
10,987
0.665
Environmental
Health
& Development Economic
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
34,015
138
4
Ranking Based On Selection: 4
Markus Boettcher
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
25,587
10,266
0.401
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
39,943
162
5
Ranking Based On Selection: 5
Iurii Sushch
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
16,202
9,198
0.568
Astrophysics
Astronom
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
41,771
174
6
Ranking Based On Selection: 6
Indra Bahadur
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
12,331
8,921
0.723
Thermodynamics of solution
DESs
Ionic Liquids
Corrosion
Separation Technolog
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
42,025
175
7
Ranking Based On Selection: 7
Sebastiaan Rothmann
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
20,150
8,879
0.441
Employability
Capabilities
Flourishing
Well-being
Positive Organisation
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
46,261
194
8
Ranking Based On Selection: 8
Dmitri Bessarabov
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
11,102
8,297
0.747
membranes
hydrogen
fuel cells
electrolysi
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
52,417
217
9
Ranking Based On Selection: 9
Damian C. Onwudiwe
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
8,985
7,602
0.846
Materials Chemistry
Green Chemistry
Chemical Engineering
Water Treatment
Environmental Analysi
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
54,531
225
10
Ranking Based On Selection: 10
Paulus Kruger
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
13,055
7,392
0.566
Low Noise Amplifiers
Gamma-ray astrophysic
Smart Institutional Plan
Powerful Insights + Smart Membership = Institutional Success
Unlock 360° Real-Time Institutional Analysis to identify your institution’s strengths and areas for improvement.
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
56,633
238
11
Ranking Based On Selection: 11
Natalia Zywucka
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
9,632
7,195
0.747
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
83,133
338
12
Ranking Based On Selection: 12
Donald Kurtz
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
19,200
5,420
0.282
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
86,731
354
13
Ranking Based On Selection: 13
Stefan Siebert
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
11,411
5,246
0.460
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
88,811
359
14
Ranking Based On Selection: 14
Adeyemi Oladapo Aremu
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,175
5,149
0.718
Botany
IKS
Plant Science
Ethnopharmacology
Ethnobotan
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
98,343
401
15
Ranking Based On Selection: 15
Masood Khalique
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,744
4,755
0.614
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
98,392
402
16
Ranking Based On Selection: 16
Sarel Cilliers
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,603
4,753
0.625
Urban ecology
Vegetation scienc
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
108,707
451
17
Ranking Based On Selection: 17
Iolanthé Marike Kruger
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,589
4,384
0.784
Epidemiology of non-communicable disease
cardiovascular health promotio
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
110,014
459
18
Ranking Based On Selection: 18
Arvind Kumar Gupta
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
10,862
4,341
0.400
16S rRNA gene
bacterial diversity
insect gut bacteria
microbial community
Metagenomic
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
117,986
494
19
Ranking Based On Selection: 19
Van Den Berg, J. Johnnie
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,755
4,094
0.528
Agricultural Entomology
Environmental Science
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
118,233
495
20
Ranking Based On Selection: 20
Carlo Van Rensburg
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,229
4,087
0.782
Astrophysics
gamma-ray astronomy
pulsar wind nebula
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
121,852
515
21
Ranking Based On Selection: 21
Marie Wissing
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
8,060
3,984
0.494
positive psychology
meaning
relational well-being
cultures of positivit
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
126,989
546
22
Ranking Based On Selection: 22
H Bouwman
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,916
3,851
0.486
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
127,734
550
23
Ranking Based On Selection: 23
Oluwaseyi Samuel Olanrewaju
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,027
3,832
0.952
Plant-Microbe Interactions
Environmental Microbiology
Molecular Biology
Food Securit
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
135,498
585
24
Ranking Based On Selection: 24
Ayansina Segun Ayangbenro
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,036
3,647
0.904
Environmental Microbiology
Bioremediation
Biopolymer
Plant-soil-microbe interaction
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
142,626
613
25
Ranking Based On Selection: 25
Nico J Smit
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,958
3,490
0.586
Aquatic Parasitology
Ecosystem Health
Aquatic Ecology
Marine Parasitolog