9 From NREL Named to Highly Cited Researchers List
Nine scientists from NREL, a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory, have been recognized as being among the most highly cited researchers on the planet.
The annual list by London-based Clarivate’s Web of Science Group calculates whose published works are most often cited by other scientists. Clarivate examined citations over an 11-year period that ended in 2024 and came up with 6,868 individuals who merited the recognition.
The nine from NREL are Gregg Beckham, Matthew Beard, Bryon Larson, Joey Luther, Axel Palmstrom, Fei Zhang, Joe Berry, Kai Zhu, and Xiaopeng Zheng.
Dmytro Filchenko, a senior director at Clarivate, said the list “highlights those who have demonstrated both significant and broad influence in their fields of research.”
“NREL's presence on this list, year after year, is an excellent example of the significant influence of our research,” said Jud Virden, director of NREL. “The scientific discoveries coming out of our laboratory serve as the foundation of impactful innovations around the world. Congratulations to our staff on this recognition.”
NREL had six researchers on last year’s list.
“I am excited to see that the number of NREL people recognized by Clarivate continues to grow each year as it becomes obvious that the work that NREL does continues to gain more and more impact across the world,” Luther said.
Luther and Zhu have appeared on the list since 2017, while Beard has been included for the past six years and Berry for five. Beckham has made the list for four. Luther, Beard, Berry, and Beckham are all senior research fellows.
Zheng, a former postdoctoral researcher, made the list for five consecutive years, while another former postdoc, Zhang, made his first appearance this year. Neither are with the laboratory now.
Larson and Palmstrom appeared on the Highly Cited Researchers list for the first time this year.
“I’m honored to join many colleagues I admired on the Highly Cited Researchers list,” Palmstrom said. “I am grateful to the supportive and exceptional team at NREL.”
Researchers from the United States occupied the single largest bulk of scientists on the list, followed by those from China and the United Kingdom.
Last Updated May 28, 2025