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Several researchers from The University of the West Indies (UWI) St. Augustine Campus have once more secured spots among the top 2% of cited scientists worldwide, according to the latest update of an annual global ranking compiled by academics from Stanford University and Elsevier.
The 2025 edition of the rankings—which measure the frequency and impact of research citations—was released in late September. Featured from the St. Augustine Campus are Dr. Mandreker Bahall, Professor Christopher Oura, Dr. Sephra Rampersad, Professor Hazi Azamathulla, Dr. Srikanth Umakanthan, and Dr. Vinod Kumar.
The global list categorizes scientists across 22 fields and 174 subfields based on the Science-Metrix classification, with inclusion determined by a composite citation score (c-score) that factors in total citations, the h-index, and authorship roles. Researchers within the top 100,000 worldwide or the top 2% by c-score are added to the database, which draws on Scopus and is updated annually on the Elsevier Data Repository. Calculations for the 2025 update used Scopus author profiles as of August 1, 2025.
Among this year’s honourees, Dr. Mandreker Bahall is Associate Lecturer at the School of Medicine and The UWI Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business. His research spans patient satisfaction, quality of life for cardiac patients, healthcare access and equity issues in Trinidad and Tobago, and hospital overcrowding. His publications also cover medication non-adherence and caregiver burden, reflecting his psychosocial approach to health systems research.
Professor Christopher Oura, a Professor of Veterinary Virology in the Faculty of Medical Sciences, has led a distinguished international career across the UK, Africa, and the Caribbean. Since joining The UWI in 2012, he has guided research and teaching in virology and immunology, and now leads a One Health-focused programme on regionally significant pathogens as well as a Caribbean-wide Climate Change and Health Leaders Fellowship Programme. He was elected to the Biological Standards Commission of the World Organisation for Animal Health in 2021 and re-elected as its Vice President in 2024.
Dr. Sephra Rampersad, Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry, applies molecular ecology tools to population genetics, pathogen characterisation, and biochemical screening of bioactive compounds. Her work supports agricultural pathology and regional food security. She was the first person from the English-speaking Caribbean to receive the TWAS Young Scientist Prize (Latin America & Caribbean) and was named Most Outstanding Researcher (2013/14) in her faculty.
Professor Hazi Azamathulla, Head of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is known for his work in water resources engineering, hydraulic modelling, hydroinformatics, and climate-related hydrological challenges. He has published extensively, served on major editorial boards, and was Associate Editor of the Journal of Hydrology (Elsevier). His research contributes to sustainable water management across developing regions.
Dr. Srikanth Umakanthan, Lecturer and Consultant in Anatomical Pathology, focuses on oncopathology, infectious disease, and global disease burden. As a Senior Research Collaborator with the Global Burden of Disease Network, he applies statistical findings to health policy at global and regional levels. He currently leads quantitative research on disease risk factors and health loss in the Caribbean through the GBD Caribbean initiative.
Dr. Vinod Kumar, Lecturer in Renewable Energy in the Department of Physics, continues to produce influential work in advanced solar-cell technologies, including perovskite, organic, and dye-sensitized cells. His research seeks to optimize light harvesting and improve device architecture to boost efficiency and cut costs. With more than 150 peer-reviewed publications, over 7,800 citations, and an h-index of 49, his recognitions include South Africa’s NRF Y1 rating, the Inspire Faculty Award, and India’s SERC Fast Track Scheme for Young Scientists.
The continued presence of UWI St. Augustine scholars in the global top 2% reinforces the university’s commitment to research that advances science, health, technology, and sustainable development in the Caribbean and beyond.
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