Cal State Fullerton is once again recognized for its research excellence, with 24 faculty members ranked among the top 2% of the most-cited researchers worldwide, a distinction that reflects the university’s scholarly impact on a global scale.
The list in the “Updated Science-Wide Author Databases of Standardized Citation Indicators,” compiled by Elsevier, a globally recognized leader in scientific publishing and analytics. It highlights researchers whose work is frequently cited by peers, a key indicator of scholarly impact.
Cal State Fullerton ranks fifth among all California State University campuses for the number of faculty recognized.
“Being recognized among the most-cited scholars reflects the significant impact our faculty members have in advancing knowledge across their fields,” said Binod Tiwari, associate vice president for research and sponsored programs.
“Their work not only contributes to academic progress and enhances the university’s reputation, but it also enriches the learning experience for our students by bringing relevant scholarship into the classroom.”
The database includes those who rank among the top 100,000 researchers worldwide or fall within the top 2% of their field. Scientists are grouped into 22 broad scientific fields and 174 subfields. Rankings are based on how often a researcher’s work is cited by others, with and without self-citations.
This year, 10 CSUF faculty members were recognized for both their career-long and 2025 single-year citation impact. An additional 14 faculty were included based on either their lifetime citation record or their citation performance during 2025.
The list features current, retired, emeritus and deceased faculty whose work spans a wide range of disciplines, including psychology, physics, biology, chemistry, engineering, kinesiology, communication studies, English, social work, management and finance.
CSUF faculty members recognized on the 2% list for combined career and 2025 citations are:
- Tammy Drezner, lecturer emeritus of information systems and decision sciences
- Zvi Drezner, professor emeritus of information systems and decision sciences
- Sudarshan Tanaji Kurwadkar, professor of civil and environmental engineering
- Maria C. Linder, professor emeritus of chemistry and biochemistry (deceased)
- Richard A. Lippa, professor emeritus of psychology
- Robert George Lockie, professor of kinesiology
- Geoffrey Lovelace, professor of physics
- Jocelyn S. Read, professor of physics
- Roberta E. Rikli, professor emeritus of kinesiology and former dean of the College of Health and Human Development
- Jochen Schenk, professor of biological science
CSUF faculty cited for career-long or recent single-year impact are:
- Celestina Barbosa-Leiker, dean of the College of Health and Human Development
- Michael H. Birnbaum, professor emeritus of psychology
- William B. Gudykunst, professor of human communication studies (deceased)
- Erica Leeanne Lizano, associate professor of social work
- David Obstfeld, professor of management
- James A. Primbs, professor of finance
- María Soledad Ramírez, professor of biological science
- Dana Nelson Rutledge, professor emeritus of nursing
- Nancy L. Segal, professor of psychology
- Nicole Seymour, professor of English, comparative literature and linguistics
- Joshua R. Smith, professor of physics
- Fu-Ming Tao, professor of chemistry and biochemistry
- Marcelo E. Tolmasky, professor of biological science
- Stella Ting-Toomey, professor of human communication studies (deceased)
The full 2025 dataset and methodology are available through the Elsevier Data Repository.
About Cal State Fullerton: The largest university in the CSU and the only campus in Orange County, Cal State Fullerton offers more than 100 academic degree programs and Division I athletics. Recognized as a national model for supporting student success, CSUF excels with innovative, high-impact educational practices, including faculty-student collaborative research, study abroad and competitive internships. CSUF is a top public university known for its success in supporting first-generation and underrepresented students and preparing all students to become leaders in the global marketplace. Our vibrant and diverse campus is a primary driver of workforce and economic development in the region. Visit fullerton.edu.
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