Dr. Kuruvilla Joseph has been appointed as the first Pro Vice Chancellor of the IIST. A distinguished scientist and academician, Dr. Joseph has served IIST in several pivotal administrative roles, including Registrar and Dean (Academics), contributing significantly to its growth and academic excellence. He is widely acclaimed for his outstanding research contributions, with more than 250 research papers in leading international journals, nine books and several patents to his credit. He has a notable h-index of 66 and citation index of more than 18,000. 22 doctoral students have achieved their PhD degree under his supervision. Dr. Joseph’s work has earned him international recognition, including his inclusion in the prestigious Stanford/Elsevier list of the world’s top 2% scientists for five consecutive years (2020–2025), underscoring his sustained impact in his field. In addition to his academic and research achievements, he has served on several high-level committees at national and international fora, bringing his expertise to bear on shaping science and education policies.