SOEST scholars named to 2025 Highly Cited Researchers list
Internationally recognized researchers currently or formerly affiliated with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa have been honored among the world’s most influential scientists in Clarivate’s 2025 Highly Cited Researchers list. The annual analysis identifies just 1 in 1,000 researchers globally—including Nobel laureates—whose publications have demonstrated exceptional influence across their fields.
School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) Professor Fei-Fei Jin and the late Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology Director and Researcher Ruth Gates, were recognized in the cross-field category, which highlights researchers whose influence spans multiple scientific areas. Daniel Mende, a former SOEST postdoctoral researcher, was selected to the biology and biochemistry category.
“This distinction underscores the global influence of UH Mānoa’s research enterprise,” UH Mānoa Interim Provost Vassilis Syrmos said. “Our scholars drive discoveries that resonate across disciplines and continents, and their work exemplifies the innovation and excellence that define our university.”
SOEST Professor Fei-Fei Jin
Jin’s research interests cover a wide range of topics, including the dynamics of large-scale atmosphere and ocean circulations, and climate variability. His primary research focuses are understanding the dynamics of El Niño-Southern Oscillation, climate variability in the extratropical atmospheric circulation and global warming.
The late Ruth Gates
Gates was a tireless innovator and advocate for coral reef conservation. The focus of her most recent research efforts was creating super corals, coral species occurring naturally in the ocean that could be trained to become more resilient to harsh conditions.
Former SOEST postdoctoral fellow Daniel Mende
Mende specializes in environmental microbiology, microbial ecology, metagenomics and more. He came to UH Mānoa in 2014 for his postdoctoral studies on microbial communities in oceans. Mende is now an assistant professor at Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam.
These scientists are identified based on their publication of highly cited papers in the Web of Science Core Collection—a widely respected global citation database. Using rigorously curated data, analysts at the Institute for Scientific Information select individuals who have demonstrated remarkable influence in their field.
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