Two UNL faculty have been named to the 2015 Thomson Reuters’ list of Highly Cited Researchers for exceptional impact in their fields.

Kenneth Cassman, Robert B. Daugherty Professor of Agronomy, was cited in the agricultural sciences category and Mehmet Can Vuran, associate professor of computer science and engineering, was cited in computer science for the second consecutive year.

The Highly Cited Researchers list represents some of world’s most influential scientific minds across 21 fields in the sciences and social sciences. About 3,000 researchers earned this distinction by writing the greatest number of reports officially designated by Essential Science Indicators as Highly Cited Papers — ranking among the top 1 percent most cited for their subject field and year of publication, earning them the mark of exceptional impact.

Cassman’s overarching interests focus on local and global food security, in particular increasing crop yields while conserving natural resources and ecosystems. He co-leads a global collaboration to develop and apply the Global Yield Gap and Water Productivity Atlas, an analytical tool that identifies exploitable yield gaps.

Vuran’s research focuses on wireless networks. He developed an underground wireless sensor system to help farmers more efficiently monitor soil moisture and manage irrigation. He also works on cognitive radio networks to shape how American households will access low-cost Internet in the future.

Details about how the list is developed are available at http://highlycited.com.