UST is among the leading research universities in the Philippines, having ranked seventh among eight schools in terms of research productivity in a 2023 government-funded research.
Global ranking bodies, such as the Times Higher Education and Quacquarelli-Symonds, rely on Elsevier’s Scopus database to evaluate schools’ research performance through publication volume and bibliometric data.
Scopus measures researchers’ impact through metrics like the h-index and h-graph, which analyze the volume of publications and citations received.
Below are UST’s top 10 researchers from 2014 to 2023, based on Elsevier Scopus’s Oct. 2 data obtained by the Varsitarian:
No. 1 – Prof. Grecebio Alejandro
Emerging as the top UST researcher of the decade is Prof. Grecebio Alejandro of the Department of Biological Sciences. He earned 674 citations from 99 scholarly publications, good for an h-index of 16.
Alejandro is a researcher at the UST Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences (RCNAS). His works focus on natural sciences and biological sciences.
Some of Alejandro’s research highlights include the discovery of various novel plant taxa (genus and species levels), the development of Philippine rubiaceae interactive database, development of a DNA barcoding database, and the establishment of the Thomasian Angiosperm Phylogeny and Barcoding Group.
No. 2 – Prof. Allan de Guzman
Prof. Allan de Guzman ranked second with 482 citations across 83 publications and an h-index of 14. The former College of Education dean is a researcher at the UST Research Center for Social Sciences and Education (RCSSEd).
He is credited for pioneering the thesis-by-article format in the Philippines and shadow education studies. His works include theory-building initiatives on the psychosocial aspects of the Filipino elderly in various settings. De Guzman also popularized the use of underutilized designs in education and nursing research in the country.
No. 3 – Prof. Raymond Rosales
UST’s third most productive researcher is Prof. Raymond Rosales, who has amassed 1,552 citations across 75 publications. A UST RCNAS researcher, his works focus on botulinum toxin therapy in dystonia or movement disorders and neuromuscular disorders.
Rosales scored 29 in the h-index. He is a neurologist teaching at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery and the editor in chief of its journal.
No. 4 – Prof. Thomas Edison de la Cruz
Prof. Thomas Edison de la Cruz of the Department of Biological Sciences is No. 4 in Elsevier’s Scopus list of UST authors with the highest scholarly output. Another UST RCNAS researcher, De la Cruz has 71 scholarly articles and 877 citations, earning an h-index of 22.
De la Cruz’s publications have an emphasis on Philippine fungal diversity, the discovery of fungi with bioactive secondary metabolites and extracellular enzymes for bioremediation or biotechnological applications, and the development of photoguides and learning materials for children.
No. 5 – Prof. Sandra Navarra
A rheumatologist from the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Prof. Sandra Navarra has the fifth highest scholarly output and the second highest citation count among UST researchers. She has 3,680 citations across 63 publications.
Navarra’s research centers on the field of rheumatology, focusing on autoimmune diseases and systemic lupus erythematosus, and physician and patient education.
No. 6 – Prof. Allan Macabeo
Prof. Allan Macabeo of the UST Graduate School and Department of Chemistry tallied 1,358 citations across 60 publications. His works focus on medicinal chemistry, natural products chemistry, and chemical biology. Macabeo is a researcher at the UST RCNAS and has an h-index score of 20.
No. 7 – Dr. Jose Sollano
Dr. Jose Sollano of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery is the founder of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Club of the Philippines. He has accumulated 5,169 citations from his 55 publications, making him the most cited author in UST.
Sollano scored 52 on the h-index, the highest among listed UST researchers. He pioneered the study of inflammatory bowel disease in the country, with his research primarily centered on gastroesophageal reflux disease, chronic hepatitis B & C, and therapeutic endoscopy.
No. 8 – Prof. Marc Reyes
Prof. Marc Reyes of the Department of Psychology has been cited 528 times in his 52 publications, which focus on psychopathology, LGBT issues, clinical assessment, and suicidology. He is a professor at the College of Science and the UST Graduate School. Reyes scored 11 on h-index.
No. 9 – Prof. Rey Donne Papa
College of Science Dean Rey Donne Papa published 49 scholarly articles and was cited 363 times, good for an h-index score of 14. His research focus includes freshwater zooplankton ecology and systematics and limnology. Papa maintains the UST Zooplankton Reference Collection, the first and only organized repository of zooplankton in the country so far.
No. 10 – Asst. Prof. Nestor Ong
Rounding out the list is Asst. Prof. Nestor Ong, who has 58 citations across 38 publications and an h-index score of 4. His publications revolve around operations research, quality management, and manufacturing engineering. Ong heads UST’s Office of the QS/THE Rankings. with reports from Marco Luis D. Beech
