Meet our PHYS Diversity Team Members

Muhammad Imran Asghar is an Academy of Finland Research Fellow and docent at the Department of Applied Physics. He focuses on digital printing of ceramic nanocomposite fuel cells to achieve high performance and durable devices. In addition to fuel cells, his research interest includes next generation solar cells, lithium-ion batteries and mini-grids. He loves teaching new energy technologies. He has a strong interest in learning about latest innovations happening in the world to mitigate the climate change. He has an interest in Diversity and EDI efforts and acts as a researcher representative of the PHYS Diversity Team. In his free time, Dr. Asghar likes to play cricket, meeting friends and new people, seeing new places and cultures.

Christian Flindt has been an Associate Professor at the Department of Applied Physics since 2019. His research group focuses on theoretical problems in quantum condensed matter physics. He has a keen interest in diversity and is involved as a faculty representative in the PHYS Diversity Team. In his free time, he can often be found on the local soccer field with his two sons (and their friends) or discussing diversity issues with his knowledgeable wife.

Bernadette Gehl-Väisänen (she/her) is one of three Academic Coordinators at the Department of Applied Physics. Prior to her current role she was a researcher in biochemistry. At the Physics Department she takes care of eight research groups, supports the leadership and is active on the communications side. Bernadette has been a Diversity team member since our start in May 2020 and is an active participant in APS IDEA, as well as in the SCI Quality Group. She spends her free time with her kids and husband exploring the beautiful surroundings in Espoo and Helsinki, loves house plants and reading science biographies. 

Rebecca Heilmann (she/her) is a doctoral candidate at the Department of Applied Physics, where her research focuses on plasmonic nanoparticle arrays. She also works as a teaching assistant and acts as a graduate student representative of the Diversity Team. She is keen on getting more people with diverse backgrounds interested in physics. Rebecca spends her free time with her partner and their pets, enjoys baking, reading fantasy literature, and ice-skating in winter.

Fereshteh Sohrabi (she/her) is a doctoral candidate at the Department of Applied Physics. Her research focuses on active matter physics, and she also works as a teaching assistant. She has a keen interest in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) efforts, and acts as a graduate student representative of the PHYS Diversity Team. In her free time she enjoys spending time in nature, yoga, reading, and recently found a passion in learning contemporary dance and theatre.

Jami Kinnunen is a senior lecturer at the Department of Applied Physics and has been working in the department since 2008. He teaches first-year students and his research focuses on many-body quantum mechanics in ultracold atom gases. He is interested in making physics more welcoming for all people and acts as a faculty representative of the PHYS Diversity Team. Jami spends his free time with his family, baking, cooking, and doing various sports.

Matilda Backholm (she/her) is an Assistant Professor in Soft Matter Physics at the Department of Applied Physics. Her Living Matter research team studies the mechanics, dynamics, and flow of tiny soft or fluid systems as well as living organisms. She has been invested in EDI-related matters during her entire career and strives to make the physics community more inclusive and kind. Matilda is a mom of three young boys and spends most of her time off campus running after them. She is also a big fan of library books, bicycles, and taking long, quite walks in the forest.