Cameroonian ranked world’s second best mathematician

Cameroon- born Professor Abdon Atangana has been ranked second-best mathematician in the world.
He is a professor of applied mathematics at the Institute for Groundwater Studies in the University of Free State, South Africa.

Abdon Atangana, 37, was also ranked 188th in all of science , technology and engineering in Stanford university’s top 2% of Scientists in the world. He is recognised as one of 10 South African scientists in the top 1% of scientists on the global Clarivate Web of Science list which honors real innovators in their industry.

Abdon Atangana is known for creating a new fractional operator used to model real world problems arising in the fields of engineering, science and technology. His cross-industry contribution, which incorporates math and applicability to actual situations, earned him a spot on the list.

He says most of his mathematical formulae came from Europe due to performance and recognition: “When I introduced my operator, it felt somewhat decolonizing. It demonstrates that Africans can contest on the world stage. This honor is not for me, but for Africa. I work hard so that black African children can say that Africa leads the way in mathematics. There’s nothing we can’t do!”

The researcher made it clear that he formulated his operator in 2016 when he finished his doctorate at the university.

After 4 years, the now South African, thanks to hard work, has published more than 20 leading journals of applied mathematics and was given the opportunity to officiate in some as the first African selected editor.

In 2021, he was elected as a fellow of the World Academy of Science for the advancement of science in developing countries.