About me

 About Me

Hello! I'm Sudhier K G Pillai, and I'm passionate about exploring the fascinating world of information science and helping others discover how knowledge flows through our digital age.

My Journey

Currently, I'm a faculty at the Department of Library and Information Science, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur. But my story began with physics – yes, you read that right! I started my academic journey with a postgraduate degree in Physics from AMU, Aligarh, before falling in love with the world of information science. This unique combination gives me a distinctive perspective on how scientific knowledge is created, shared, and measured.

Over the past 25+ years, I've had the privilege of working across various roles in academia, from being a librarian in different teaching and research departments at the University of Kerala to teaching and mentoring the next generation of information professionals. My doctoral research in Informetrics opened up exciting possibilities to understand how knowledge spreads and impacts society.

What I Do

My research focuses on scientometrics, public libraries, ontology, digital divide, etc – essentially, I study how science communicates with itself. I analyze citation patterns, track scholarly communication trends, and explore how different fields of knowledge connect and influence each other. It's like being a cartographer of the intellectual landscape.

Some of my favourite areas to explore include:

·        How research papers cite each other (it's more interesting than it sounds!)

·        The evolution of scholarly communication in the digital age

·        Building knowledge organization systems that make sense

·        Understanding how information flows through academic communities

·        Creating ontologies on different domains of knowledge

·        The role of public libraries in bridging the digital divide

My Impact

I've been fortunate to contribute over 240 papers to the academic community, with 80 published in top-tier indexed journals. What makes me particularly proud is being recognized as one of the most prolific and highly cited Indian researchers in scientometrics and scholarly communication. My work has garnered attention globally, with a Google Scholar h-index of 14 and over 800 citations. Scopus: h- Index- 06; Total citations 107; Web of Science: h- Index- 04; Total citations 78.

But numbers tell only part of the story. What truly excites me is mentoring young researchers – I've guided six PhD candidates to successful completion, with three more currently on their exciting research journeys. I've also supervised over 50 master's dissertations and 10 M.Phil projects. There's nothing quite like watching a student's "aha!" moment when they discover something new!

Beyond the Classroom

I'm actively involved in shaping the future of library and information science through major research projects. Currently, I'm leading a DST-NSTMIS project for the Government of India and directing an ICSSR project. These aren't just academic exercises – they're real-world investigations that help us understand India's research landscape better.

When I'm not buried in research data, you'll find me at conferences and seminars across the country, sharing insights and learning from fellow researchers. I believe knowledge grows best when it's shared, which is why I'm actively involved in professional associations and frequently invited as a keynote speaker and resource person at the UGC-MMTTC.

My Teaching Philosophy

I love making complex concepts accessible. Whether I'm teaching "Management of Library & Information Centres" or diving deep into "Informetrics and Scientometrics," my goal is to help students see the bigger picture – how information science connects to everything around us, from Google's search algorithms to how the breakthroughs spread through research communities.

Looking Forward

The field of information science is evolving rapidly, and I'm excited to be part of this transformation. From artificial intelligence in libraries to new forms of scholarly communication, there's never been a more exciting time to be an information scientist.

If you're curious about how knowledge moves through our world, how research impacts society, or just want to chat about the fascinating intersection of physics and information science, I'd love to connect!