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Prof Abdon Atangana, South Africa’s top-ranked scientist in Mathematics

08 March 2022 | Story Andre Damons | Photo Sonia Small (Kaleidoscope Studios)

Prof Abdon Antangana — Prof Abdon Atangana, a Professor of Applied Mathematics in the Institute for Groundwater Studies at the University of the Free State (UFS) and South Africa’s top-ranked scientist in Mathematics, wants to prepare the next generation of African professors.

A new book written by Prof Abdon Atangana, Professor of Applied Mathematics at the Institute for Groundwater Studies at the University of the Free State (UFS), in collaboration with one of his students, on the flow of groundwater, suggests several new and modified models to better predict anomalous behaviours of the flow and the movement of pollution within complex geological formations.

Mathematical Analysis of Groundwater Flow Models is one of two books Prof Atangana published recently that he wrote with his students. The other, Fractional Stochastic Differential Equations: Applications to Covid-19 Modeling, provides a thorough conversation on the underpinnings of COVID-19 spread modelling. He wrote the book with a postdoctoral fellow, Dr Seda Araz Igret from SIIRT University, Turkey. Since 2016 he has published a total number of six books, some of which are still under evaluation by Springer and Elsevier.

Time to prepare next generation of African professors

This highly cited researcher is excited about collaborating with his students on projects such as these as he feels it is time for him to prepare the way for the next generation of African professors. Prof Atangana is ranked at No 219 in the world rankings and No 1 in South Africa by Research.com, a leading academic platform for researchers.

According to the platform, which recently released the 2022 Edition of its Ranking of Top 1000 Scientists in the field of Mathematics, the ranking is based on the H-index metric provided by Microsoft Academic and includes only leading scientists with an H-index of at least 30 for academic publications in the field of Mathematics.

“Both books are important for me because they are first-time published books with my own students. There is a time to prepare the way for yourself and a time to prepare ways for the next generation. It is time for me to prepare the way for the next generation of African professors. I wish that the next time this list (https://research.com/scientists-rankings/mathematics/za) [is released] many of my students [will] appear,” says Prof Atangana.

About his book with Dr Igret, he says it presents the dynamic of COVID-19 spread behaviour worldwide. It is noticed that the spread dynamic followed process with nonlocal behaviours, which resemble power law, fading memory, crossover, and stochastic behaviours. Fractional stochastic differential equations are therefore used to model spread behaviours in different parts of the world.

“The content coverage includes a brief history of COVID-19 spread worldwide from December 2019 to September 2021, followed by statistical analysis of collected data for infected, death and recovery classes,” says Prof Atangana.

Mathematical analysis of Groundwater Flow Models serves as a valuable resource for graduate and PhD students as well as researchers working within the field of groundwater modelling, says Prof Atangana. It includes features such as:

• Modified numerical and analytical methods for solving new and modified models for groundwater flow and transport

• New flow and transform models for groundwater transport in complex geological formations

• Examination of fractal and crossover behaviours and their mathematical formulations

Top-ranking scientist

Prof Atangana was also recently elected as a fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) and received the World Academy of Sciences Award for Mathematics (TWAS -Mohammad A Hamdan, 2020) on 1 November 2021.

Very recently, he was also ranked No 1 in the world in Mathematics, No 186 in the world in all the fields, and No 1 in Africa in all the fields, according to the Stanford list of 2% single-year table.

He was also named among the top 1% of scientists on the global Clarivate Web of Science list. Fewer than 6 200 or 0.1% of the world’s researchers were included on this list in 2019, 2020 and 2021, with fewer than 10 of the scientists hailing from South Africa.

“While my name is ranked No 1 in South Africa and No 219 in the world, this shows the impact of my research that has been done since 2013. It is worth noting that this ranking disadvantages younger researchers. For example, I got my first publication in 2013 but the researcher who was ranked No 1 started in 1972. To make the ranking fair, the total H-index should be divided by the number of years of publication. I am very proud to see that despite this disadvantage I am still topping in South Africa and am No 219 in the world.”

News Archive

Agriculture must adapt to change

2008-11-28

At the launch of "50 years of agriculture" at the UFS were, from the left: Mr Corwyn Botha: Chairman: Agri Business Chamber and Managing Director: Cape Agri Group, Mr Motsepe Matlala, President of NAFU, Mr Hans van der Merwe, Executive Head: Agri SA, Prof. Herman van Schalkwyk: Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS, and Mr Sugar Ramakarane, Head: Department of Agriculture, Free State Province.
Photo: Lacea Loader

“The biggest factor driving agriculture today is change. Our major challenge is to adapt to this changing environment.” This was stated by Prof. Herman van Schalkwyk, Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS) during the recent celebration of the faculty’s “50 years in agriculture”.

Prof. Van Schalkwyk stated that the most important changes include power relationships in supply chains, consumer demand, new products and technology in agriculture, government action and developments in neighbouring states. “At the moment there is very little cooperation between small-scale farmers, small-scale farmers and commercial farmers and farmers and processors. There are also low levels of processing, low levels of value adding and a lack of creative thinking in agriculture," he said.

“This must change – we need comprehensive agricultural support and new business ideas in agriculture. We need better infrastructure, value chain financing and improved institutional support,” he said.

Speaking about agriculture and institutional co-operation in the Free State, Mr Sugar Ramakarane, Chief Director of the Free State Department of Agriculture, said that the UFS plays a vital role in bringing together organised agriculture in the province. “The responsibility of transforming our economy cannot be done by government alone. We need partners like the UFS to assist us with bringing together the two most important stakeholders of the agricultural sector, namely the National Farmers’ Union (NAFU) and Free State Agriculture. You can assist us with harnessing co-operation and providing practical solutions," he said

Mr Ramakarane said that his department is aware of the university’s good work with emerging farmers. “But, I want to encourage the university to help us with skills transfer and the development of the emerging farmers. You can play a vital role in developing a mentorship programme. Yours remains a central and critical role of being torch bearers in guiding the transformation agenda of our country," he said.

In his contribution on the challenges of small scale farmers in South Africa and the role of the university, Mr Motsepe Matlala, President of NAFU, said that unity in organised agriculture and working together with other stakeholders has become even more crucial with regard to the global challenges now faced by the country. “The university should take the lead in guiding all farmers on how to respond to, among others, the global financial turmoil and politics, developments in trade negotiations, food prices, input costs and the availability of energy," he said.

“If the UFS, and more specifically the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, is to continue to play a leading role in academia as well as in the production of research that matters to the growth and development of this country, it must adopt an approach that seeks to harness the capacity of everyone in an inclusive manner. The strides already made in this regard must be applauded,” Mr Matlala said.

Speaking on the future challenges in agriculture and the role of universities, Mr Hans van der Merwe, Executive Head of Agri SA said that South Africa has not spent money on agricultural development in a long time. “We must increase our product capacity in the agricultural sector. Universities must focus on cultivating enough expertise and the skills necessary to manage the resources and capacity needed," he said. In his view, South Africa must also focus on technological advancement in agriculture as this has also been neglected in the past. He urged universities to provide best-practice education and to look at international trends in agricultural training. “That is why we should not only focus our attention on South Africa, but on southern Africa,” Mr van der Merwe said.

In conclusion to the day’s programme, Mr Corwyn Botha, Chairperson of the Agricultural Business Chamber, Managing Director of the Cape Agri Group and former Kovsie stated that: “If you want to be an example of leadership, people around you must do better because you are there. A university should evaluate itself in this context. You cannot create solutions to problems with the same attitude in which the problems were created."

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
28 November 2008

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