The Ohio State University Board of Trustees has selected Ravi V. Bellamkonda as the 18th president in the university’s history. Bellamkonda, a globally recognized bioengineer and neuroscientist, previously served as Ohio State’s executive vice president and provost since early 2025, overseeing academic and administrative operations across the institution’s 15 colleges, regional campuses, and University Libraries.
During his tenure as provost, Bellamkonda collaborated closely with the University Senate and other governance bodies to advance Ohio State’s academic mission. Upon his appointment, he described the university as a top-tier institution with unparalleled reach and the capacity to achieve goals that few others can match.
Bellamkonda’s educational background includes a bachelor’s degree from Osmania University, a PhD from Brown University, and a postdoctoral fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His prior leadership roles include serving as provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at Emory University, where he initiated programs in artificial intelligence and student development. He also held positions as Vinik Dean of the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University and co-chaired the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology.
Beyond his administrative accomplishments, Bellamkonda is a celebrated researcher. His laboratory developed the “tumor monorail,” an innovative device for brain tumor treatment, which earned a National Institutes of Health Director’s Transformative Research Award and recognition from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. He is an elected fellow of several scientific societies and holds 11 U.S. patents.
Bellamkonda resides within the Ohio State community with his wife, Dr. Lalita Kaligotla, and their family, continuing to contribute to both academic leadership and groundbreaking biomedical research.
