Dakota State Faculty Named to Top 2% List
Three Dakota State University researchers were recognized on the 2026 Stanford-Elsevier World's Top 2% Scientists list.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
Abeer F. Alkhwaldi, Abid Mehmood and Peng Guo, faculty at Dakota State University, were named to the 2026 Stanford-Elsevier World's Top 2% Scientists list. The list ranks researchers by citation impact across fields.
Why it matters
The recognition highlights research strength at a South Dakota public university in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and physics. It reflects how the state's university researchers are gaining national visibility.
The selections come from a database of researchers' citation impact, with Alkhwaldi recognized for a second straight year in business and management. Mehmood was recognized in information and communication technologies, and Guo in nuclear and particle physics.
The players
Dakota State University
A public university in Madison, South Dakota, whose faculty were recognized on the list.
Argonne National Laboratory
A U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory that leads the AI and quantum computing project Peng Guo co-directs.
The details
Alkhwaldi's research examines how emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, affect decision-making in organizations. Mehmood focuses on secure artificial intelligence and cybersecurity with applications in agriculture, health care and finance, while Guo co-leads an Argonne National Laboratory project using AI to improve quantum computing workflows for nuclear physics.
Timeline
• 2019: The underlying Stanford-Elsevier research publication and public database were introduced.
• 2026: Three Dakota State University faculty were named to the Top 2% list.
Big Picture
The 2026 selections continue the annual Stanford-Elsevier list first built on a 2019 citation database, extending its record of recognizing researchers across disciplines. Alkhwaldi's repeat selection shows the list tracking sustained research output rather than one-off citation spikes.
For students weighing South Dakota universities, the recognition signals research depth in AI and cybersecurity at Dakota State. The honors do not change tuition, admissions or course availability.
The takeaway
Strong citation records in AI and cybersecurity at regional universities can matter for students and industry partners choosing research collaborators. Rankings like this one offer a snapshot of where expertise is concentrated.
Further reading
Explore more Artificial Intelligence coverage from across South Dakota.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Dakotanewsnow.
