January 14, 2026
Two faculty members have been recognized among the top two percent of scientists worldwide in the 2025 annual ranking published by Stanford University in collaboration with Elsevier.
Trinkle Professor of Biology Kristian Hargadon ’01 and Trinkle Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Biology William Shear have been named among the world’s best based on multiple citation metrics, recognizing them as highly cited researchers in their fields.
A researcher's influence is assessed using a composite indicator, or c-score, which incorporates multiple metrics to reflect both the quantity and quality of their research. All are organized into 22 broad fields and 174 subfields, providing a detailed view across many disciplines.
While at Hampden-Sydney, Dr. Hargadon has taught a variety of courses, including Principles of Biology (BIOL 110), Genetics (BIOL 201), Genetics and Cell Biology (BIOL 201), Microbiology (BIOL 321), Immunology (BIOL 323) and Virology (BIOL 324). Ranked among the top two percent of scientists in the subfield of immunology in 2024 and 2025, Dr. Hargadon continues to advance the boundaries of research and immunology knowledge, publishing research on anti-tumor immune dysfunction with former students and presenting with his students at conferences such as the 2025 Commonwealth of Virginia Cancer Research Conference and the 2025 annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Dr. Shear, who taught at Hampden-Sydney for 41 years before retiring in 2015, has appeared on the rankings since 2020 and was listed among the top 1.5 percent of scientists in the subfield of zoology in 2025. He continues to publish research today, exploring diverse areas within zoology—systematics, taxonomy, biodiversity, ecology, evolutionary biology, and more—while steadily expanding his expertise and contributions to the field.
Alongside Dr. Hargadon and Dr. Shear, Patterson Professor of Biology Alexander Werth has also earned recognition in past rankings. He was ranked among the top one percent of scientists in the subfield of anatomy and morphology in 2021 and the top two percent in the subfield of marine biology and hydrobiology in 2024, highlighting the breadth and impact of his research across multiple areas of biology.
With several of the College’s best and brightest recognized among the world’s top scientists and researchers, Hampden-Sydney celebrates faculty whose research reaches the highest levels of their fields. Their groundbreaking work, combined with decades of teaching and mentorship, enriches the College community and provides students with the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with top-tier scholars.
To learn more about the world’s top scientists and researchers, visit the Top SCINET website.