RIYADH: There are now 151 researchers from King Saud University College of Science named among the world’s top 2 percent of scientists in a global citation-based ranking, a rise of nearly 36 percent, Dr. Zaid Al-Othman, dean of the college, announced recently. Academics at the college attributed the increase to interdisciplinary collaboration, institutional support and research addressing national and global challenges. The announcement is part of the ninth edition of an annual list Stanford University compiled with academic publisher Elsevier, based on data from the Scopus database. The Single-Year Impact list draws on Scopus data, primarily measuring scientific citations received by researchers’ work during 2025 — excluding self-citations and accounting for authorship roles, such as lead, corresponding, or sole author. The ranking uses a composite indicator, or c-score, that emphasizes the quality and actual impact of the research and how often it is cited, rather than relying solely on publication count. The classification encompasses 20 major scientific fields and 174 subfields, based on the Science-Metrix taxonomy. Al-Othman said: “This achievement reflects the strength of the college’s research ecosystem, which is built upon distinguished scientific expertise, a broad diversity of knowledge, and the integration of fundamental and applied disciplines.” He added that it was “complemented by research partnerships that contribute to addressing scientific challenges with both local and global dimensions.” Al-Othman said: “Our ambition is not limited to increasing the number of our researchers on global lists; rather, it extends to building a sustainable research ecosystem that generates scientific impact and lays the foundation for successive generations of distinguished researchers.” He also emphasized the importance of empowering young researchers, involving them in high-quality projects and developing their skills. The growing presence of the college’s scholars enhances King Saud University’s research reputation and bolsters its competitiveness in international rankings, he added. This underscores the university’s role as a leading academic institution contributing to the realization of the goals set out in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan, he said. Prof. Khalid Al-Qahtani, faculty member in the Department of Geology and Geophysics, said: “The scholarly depth, originality, and quality of the scientific research, combined with the integration of disciplines and the interconnections between various fields of study, have rendered the research output both distinguished and rich.” The College of Science’s diverse scientific disciplines facilitate interdisciplinary research aimed at addressing complex scientific and developmental challenges, he noted. Prof. Asma Al-Huqail, faculty member in the Department of Botany and Microbiology, said: “A passion for scientific research and a focus on research quality — this is the fruit of years of sustained effort, supported throughout by King Saud University, which has provided a stimulating research environment.” The college’s research output is distinguished by its focus on both fundamental and applied research aligned with modern scientific trends, supported by a stimulating environment and highly competent academic staff, she said. Prof. Talal Al-Harbi, faculty member in the Department of Geology and Geophysics, said the college was “continuing to conduct studies that address significant scientific and environmental challenges, while also ensuring that research is published in high-impact scientific journals so that it may be read by a wide range of researchers and serve as a reference for them.” This accomplishment carries a significant scientific responsibility, motivating him to develop even more impactful research that contributes to innovative solutions for water and environmental challenges, he said.