Ten Manchester academics in top one percent of global influential researchers
03 Dec 2025
University earns a total of 13 mentions in the Highly Cited Researchers rankings with our colleagues seen to “exemplify excellence in their research as well as integrity in their publication and citation practices.”
Ten colleagues have been recognised among the world’s most influential, according to the Highly Cited Researchers rankings released by Clarivate.
Highly Cited Researchers demonstrate significant and broad influence across their fields of research and have authored multiple ‘Highly Cited’ papers. These papers proudly rank in the top one percent by citations for their field and publication year in the Web of Science over the past eleven years.
Celebrating researchers’ impact, the list includes 11 entries for academics primarily affiliated with our University, with a double entry for Professor Zhiguo Ding in the fields of both Computer Science and Engineering.
They are:
- Thomas Anthopoulos, Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, School of Engineering;
- Irina Grigorieva, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Sciences;
- Adisa Azapagic, Department of Chemical Engineering, The School of Engineering;
- Evangelos Kontopantelis, Division of Informatics, Imaging and Data Sciences, School of Health Sciences;
- Zhiguo Ding, Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, School of Engineering;
- Pamela Qualter, Manchester Institute of Education, School of Environment, Education and Development;
- Frank W. Geels, Alliance Manchester Business School;
- Dave Singh, Division of Immunology, Immunity to Infection and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences;
- Andre Geim, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Sciences;
- Juan W. Valle, Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences.
The 2025 list includes Professors Pamela Qualter, Dave Singh and Adisa Azapagic for the first time.
Professor Pierluigi Mancarella and Professor Sir Konstantin Novoselov, both secondarily affiliated with our University, also made this year’s list, earning the University 13 mentions overall in the 2025 rankings.
Vice-President for Research, Professor Colette Fagan, said: “The Highly Cited Researchers list recognises the significant contribution made by some of our world leading researchers at The University of Manchester. Commitment to research excellence is embedded throughout the University and, with our new Manchester 2035 strategy, we aim to see more of our talented researchers recognised on this prestigious list over the years to come.”
David Pendlebury, Head of Research Analysis at the Institute for Scientific Information at Clarivate, commented: “The Highly Cited Researchers list identifies and celebrates exceptional individual researchers at The University of Manchester who demonstrate significant and broad influence in their fields.
“They exemplify excellence in their research as well as integrity in their publication and citation practices. These researchers continue to shape the future of science, technology and academia globally and deliver innovation that drives societal progress.”
The rankings are built on rigorous citation analysis and refined by expert judgement, quantitative metrics and qualitative analysis.