​Professor Vinod Gupta, from the Department of Applied Chemistry at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) has been named as the top highly cited researcher in South Africa by the global Webometrics Rankings Web of Researchers. The other UJ researchers in the top 100 are, in order, Prof Soebur Razzaque, Prof Jan Kramers, Prof Nic Beukes, Prof Christian Rogerson and Prof Simon Connell. Over a 100 UJ researchers are named in the rankings.

The three top highly cited researchers in each of the faculties included in the Webometrics Rankings are:

Faculty of Science

• Prof Gupta is the South African Research Chair in Nanotechnology for Water and a Professor in the Department of Applied Chemistry at the University of Johannesburg. He publishes on Nanotechnology for water, Waste water treatment, Environmental chemistry and Chemical sensors. He joined the University as a Distinguished Visiting Professor under the Global Excellence and Stature initiative. Recently he was admitted to the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) as a Fellow.
• Prof Soebur Razzaque recently published theoretical modelling of the expected behaviour of gamma rays when neutron stars collide, as part of the global Fermi-LAT collaboration. He leads the UJ Astroparticle Physics Group.
• Prof Jan Kramers published on the geological structure of the extraterrestrial ‘Hypatia’ stone recently, which appears to be older than the solar system itself. He co-leads the Paleoproterozoic Mineralization (PPM) Research Group in the UJ Department of Geology.

College of Business and Economics

• Prof Christian Rogerson from the CBE School of Tourism and Hospitality engages with the themes of Local and regional economic development, Small enterprise development and the nexus between Tourism and socio-economic development.
• Prof Gert Roodt from the Department of Industrial Psychology within the CBE’s Johannesburg Business School publishes on Organisational Behaviour, Psychology assessments, Research methodology and Organisational development.
• Prof Wilfred Ukpere, also from the Department of Industrial Psychology, publishes on Globalisation, Organisational behavior, Industrial Relations, Human Resources and Business.

Faculty of Education

• Prof Linda Chisholm is a member of the Centre for Education Rights and Transformation. She publishes on the historical, contemporary and comparative aspects of Education policy and Curriculum in South Africa and the region.
• Prof Kerry J Kennedy is a Distinguished Visiting Professor in Education and Curriculum Studies at the Faculty, publishing on Curriculum Policy and theory with a special interest in Citizenship education assessment and its Cultural contexts.
• Prof Brenda Leibowitz is the South African Research Chair in Teaching and Learning (PSET), publishing on Higher education, Teaching and learning, the Scholarship of teaching and learning, Social justice and Professional development.

Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment

• Prof Tshilidzi Marwala is the Vice-Chancellor of the University, and publishes on Artificial intelligence, Bayesian updating, Finite element updating, Structural monitoring and Structural dynamics.

• Prof Hendrik Ferreira, from the School of Electrical Engineering publishes on Digital Communications, Information theory, Powerline communications and Channel coding.

• Prof Tien-Chien Jen, Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering Science, publishes on Thermal science, Manufacturing and Materials processing.

Faculty of Humanities

• Prof Marlize Lombard heads the Centre for Anthropological Research. She publishes on Stone Age archeology, Human behaviour and Cognitive evolution.
• Prof Chris Landsberg is the South African Research Chair in African Diplomacy and Foreign Policy. He publishes on International relations, African diplomacy and foreign policy, and African leadership.
• Prof Thea de Wet is a Senior Research Associate at the Centre for Anthropological Research. She publishes on Public health, Children, Poverty and Livelihoods.

Faculty of Health Sciences

• Prof William Harris, from the Department of Optometry, publishes on Optics, Vision and Astigmatism.
• Prof Heidi Abrahamse is the South African Research Chair in Laser Applications in Health. She heads the UJ Laser Research Centre and publishes on Photobiology, Photochemistry, Photodynamic therapy, Wound healing and Stem cells.
• Prof Marie Poggenpoel from the Department of Nursing publishes on Mental health promotion, Psychiatric nursing and Psycho-education.

Methodology

The ranking is based on Google Scholar data from 2017, and lists 2234 researchers with an h-index greater than 10.

The detailed Webometrics methodology is available here.