Current Position: Vice Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University and the Founder Director and Professor of the International and Interuniversity Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. He is also a full professor of Polymer Science and Engineering at the School of Chemical Sciences of Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, and Kerala, India.
Ares of Research: Nanoscience, Polymer Science and Engineering, Polymer Nanocomposites, Elastomers, Polymer Blends, Interpenetrating Polymer Networks, Polymer Membranes, Green Composites and Nanocomposites, Nanomedicine and Green Nanotechnology.
Major Contributions: Inventions in polymer nanocomposites, polymer blends, green bionanotechnological and nano-biomedical sciences, have made transformative differences in the development of new materials for automotive, space, housing and biomedical fields. In collaboration with India’s premier tyre company, Apollo Tyres, Professor Thomas’s group invented new high performance barrier rubber nanocomposite membranes for inner tubes and inner liners for tyres.
National and International Awards: Fellowship of the Royal Society of Chemistry, London FRSC, Distinguished Professorship from Josef Stefan Institute, Slovenia, MRSI medal, Nano Tech Medal, CRSI medal, Distinguished Faculty Award, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Award for Scientific Excellence – 2016, Mahatma Gandhi University- Award for Outstanding Contribution –Nov. 2016, Lifetime Achievement Award of the Malaysian Polymer Group, Indian Nano Biologists award 2017 and Sukumar Maithy Award for the best polymer researcher in the country. He is in the list of most productive researchers in India and holds a position of No.5. Awarded Senior Fulbright Fellowship to visit 20 Universities in the US and most productive faculty award in the domain Materials Sciences. awarded with National Education Leadership Award – 2017 for Excellence in Education. Won 6th contest of “mega-grants” in the grant competition of the Government of the Russian Federation (Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation) designed to support research projects implemented under the supervision of the world’s leading scientists. Honored with Faculty Research Award of India’s brightest minds in the field of academic research in May 2018. Professor Thomas was awarded with Trila – Academician of The Year in June 2018 acknowledging his contribution to tyre industry. Very recently Prof. Thomas received the Prof. CNR Rao lecture award and the title of Professor@Lorraine for 3 years in University Lorraine, Nancy, France.
Honorary Doctorate (Honorius Causa) : conferred Honoris Causa (D.Sc) Doctorate by the University of South Brittany, Lorient, France and University of Lorraine, Nancy, France.
Publications: Professor Thomas has published over 1000 peer reviewed research papers, reviews and book chapters.
Books: Co-edited 127 books published by Royal Society, Wiley, Wood head, Elsevier, CRC Press, Springer, and Nova etc.
Patents: Filed 16 patents, one has been granted
H index: 97 (H Index indicates the quality and quantity of publications of a faculty), highest in Kerala 5th in India in Engineering Sciences
Citations: More than 43,000 citations.
Plenary/Inaugural and Invited lectures: Delivered over 300 Plenary/Inaugural and Invited lectures in national/international meetings over 30 countries.
Chief Editor: Nanostructures and Nano-objects, Elsevier Journal