3 ASU communication educators ranked among world’s top 2% of scientists

Three faculty members in the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication at Arizona State University have been recognized among the top 2% of scientists worldwide based on the impact of their research publications.

Laura K. Guerrero, interim director and professor; Sarah J. Tracy, professor and former director; and Joris Van Ouytsel, associate professor and associate director, were included in the 2024–25 Stanford-Elsevier Top 2% Scientists list, a global database that identifies researchers whose work is most frequently cited by other scholars in their fields.

The annual ranking, updated in August 2025 to reflect citation data through the end of 2024, was developed by researchers at Stanford University using Scopus data provided by Elsevier. The database distinguishes between career-long citation impact and single-year citation impact. The Stanford-Elsevier analysis evaluates researchers across 22 scientific fields and more than 170 subfields using standardized citation metrics, including h-index and co-authorship-adjusted indicators.

Guerrero's research, recognized for career-long impact, examines communication within close relationships, with a focus on emotional and nonverbal processes that shape intimacy, forgiveness and healthy relationships.

Tracy’s work, also recognized for career-long impact, examines communication in the workplace, with a focus on emotion, identity and qualitative research, including how communication practices can support organizational flourishing, or healthier and more effective workplace environments.

Van Ouytsel was recognized for single-year impact, reflecting the significant recent citation of his research on digital safety, social media and online health behaviors among adolescents. His research is frequently published in communication, technology, and public health journals.

For the Hugh Downs School, the recognition reflects the strength and impact of its faculty research. Faculty regularly publish in leading journals and contribute to interdisciplinary research across communication, psychology, public health and behavioral science.

As the school prepares to launch its new health communication concentration within its online Master of Arts in communication, the inclusion of three faculty members in the global top 2% rankings highlights a strong foundation of research excellence.

Together, Guerrero, Tracy and Van Ouytsel represent sustained and emerging leadership within the communication discipline and beyond.