Mangalore : The Governor on Wednesday appointed K. Byrappa, a Professor of Materials Science at Mysore University as the Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore University for four years.

H. Nagalingappa, Dean, Faculty of Education and Director, Department of Physical Education, was the acting Vice-Chancellor of the university after the term of T.C. Shivashankara Murthy ended in March.

Mr. Byrappa will be the eighth Vice-Chancellor of the 33-year-old Mangalore University. He obtained his Ph.D. in materials science from Moscow State University, Russia, in 1981. He has authored eight books relating to science.

In 2011, he received the Dr. Raja Ramanna Award for Science and Technology from the State government for science education. He has delivered special lectures and course lectures in various countries like Spain, Japan, the U.S., the Netherlands, Poland, Italy, South Korea. He has also visited Australia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Europe.

Mr. Byrappa said he would try to develop the university as the centre of knowledge. He said Mangalore University was one of the best in the State. Dakshina Kannada was known as education hub. As the city had good rail, road and air connectivity, it would be easy to have exchange programmes with reputed universities abroad. “I want to promote more research activities in the university,” he said. Mr. Byrappa said that study of basic sciences was at the crossroads now as the number of students opting for the study of basic sciences at the higher level was dropping. There was a need to attract students to them and increase the enrolment ratio.

He said that he wants to have cordial relation between local people and university and bridge the gap.