Ten academics including three women from The University of Western Australia are among 6,886 researchers from institutions in 59 countries and regions to have been recognised on the annual Highly Cited Researchers 2024 list from Clarivate.
UWA’s highly cited researchers are: Professors Jacqueline Batley, David Edwards, Hans Lambers, Sergey Shabala, Thomas Wernberg and John Raven from the School of Biological Sciences; Professor Gerald Watts from the Medical School; Professor Fiona Bull from the School of Human Sciences; Professor Zed Rengel from the School of Agriculture and Environment and Emeritus Professor Rana Munns from the School of Molecular Sciences.
The highly anticipated annual list identifies researchers who have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their chosen field or fields.
This small fraction of the researcher population makes a big contribution to extending the frontiers of knowledge and introducing innovations that make the world healthier, more sustainable and more secure.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Anna Nowak congratulated the cohort on being recognised at the top of their fields in a highly competitive global environment.
“This achievement underscores the exceptional contributions of our highly cited researchers to their respective fields and highlights the global impact of their work,” Professor Nowak said.
"This achievement underscores the exceptional contributions of our highly cited researchers to their respective fields and highlights the global impact of their work."
UWA Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Anna Nowak
“We are fortunate to have such talented individuals leading the way in research and are excited to see their continued success.”
ARC Laureate Fellow Professor Batley’s research focuses on crop genetics and genomics to strengthen and improve food security and sustainability, helping develop more disease resistant plants.
Director of UWA’s Centre for Applied Bioinformatics, Professor Edwards leads a team of researchers who work with industry to carry out bioinformatics research in genetics and genomics, with a focus on wheat, brassica and legume crops.
A biodiversity expert, Emeritus Professor Lambers’ research has contributed significantly to our understanding of the mineral nutrition of Australian plants and particularly how they obtain phosphorus from the soil and use it efficiently.
A pioneer of world-class technology that measures biological stress in plants and UWA Chair in Plant Physiology, Professor Shabala’s work is becoming increasingly important as traditional agricultural plant species lose resilience to stresses such as salinity and extreme weather conditions.
Image: From left to right: Professors Sergey Shabala, Zed Rengel and Jacqueline Batley.
ARC Laureate Fellow Professor Wernberg’s research at the School of Biological Sciences and UWA Oceans Institute uncovers how temperate marine ecosystems, such as kelp forests, respond to climate change, marine heatwaves and other human pressures. In Australia he has worked extensively across the Great Southern Reef.
The late Professor Raven, an Adjunct Professor at UWA and Emeritus Professor of Biology at the University of Dundee in the UK, was universally recognised for his contributions to our understanding of plant and algal ecophysiology, biochemistry and citology and was a highly admired and inspirational leader for many generations of algal biologists. His passing in May this year marked a profound loss to the scientific community.
An internationally renowned expert on plant nutrition, Professor Rengel’s research interests are in nutrient uptake and ion toxicity in the soil-plant-water-microbe continuum.
Professor Bull has more than two decades of experience in public health, specialising in the prevention of chronic diseases with a particular focus on combating physical inactivity. Her work has shaped global policy, and she is currently contributing her expertise to the World Health Organisation in Switzerland.
A leading Australian botanist, Emeritus Professor Munns’ primary research focuses on identifying the traits that enable crop plants to tolerate salinity and adapt to drought conditions.
Image at top of page (from left to right): Professors Gerald Watts, Fiona Bull, David Edwards, Rana Munns and Thomas Wernberg.