New Academy Research Fellows and postdoctoral researchers

In the application process of the September 2021 call, the Academy of Finland's research councils for Natural Sciences and Engineering, and for Culture and Society have granted Aalto University funding for the posts of six Academy Research Fellows and 14 postdoctoral researchers.

The new researcher grants will boost Aalto University research by 7.3 million euros, of which the Academy Research Fellows account for about 3.9 million euros, and postdoctoral researchers for about 3.4 million.

Examples of research topics

Quantum physics, one of the areas of strength for Aalto University research, was especially successful in the application process, and the Academy Research Fellows will tackle the subject from several different angles. Another current topic of research is the polarisation of debate in social networks, as the subject can be studied better than before, owing to the greater availability of extensive and precise network data. Meanwhile, a study from the field of economics that combines data from the behavioural sciences, examines how investors make decisions, and how people could make better investment choices.

In their work, the postdoctoral researchers are developing, for example, a new type of approach for wastewater treatment and carbon capture, photonic materials for more sustainable display technologies, cleaner renewable fuel for spark ignition engines, and thin films that conduct electricity better for the benefit of computing used in artificial intelligence.

High-resolution brain mapping technology and deep learning methods are also under development in research projects for the needs of pharmaceutical research and health care. Another goal is to develop the world's smallest spectrometer – a device that allows the observation and study of the spectrum of light, for example. If successful, the device would significantly enhance many technical applications, improving people's everyday lives and their quality of life.

The Academy Research Fellow and postdoctoral researcher funding decisions made this spring by the Academy of Finland are the last ones in this form. This autumn, the Academy will introduce a new form of Academy Research Fellow funding to replace the funding for postdoctoral researchers and Academy Research Fellows, as well as Academy Project funding for the new generation of researchers.

Academy Research Fellows 1.9.2022 – 31.8.2027

Di Candia, Roberto, Dept. of Communications and Networking
Quantum communication and sensing with low-powered devices in the microwave regime

Drost, Robert Sophus Hermanus, Dept. of Applied Physics
Quantum simulation of correlations in artificial nanostructures viewed at the atomic scale

Kivelä, Mikko, Dept. of Computer Science
Generalized network representation methods for understanding polarization and group formation

Kolkowski, Radoslaw, Dept. of Applied Physics
Seeing the unseeable: The ultimate limits of perfectly dark states of light

Sahlsten, Tuomas, Dept. of Mathematics and Systems Analysis
Quantum chaos of large and many body systems

Ungeheuer, Michael, Dept. of Finance
What drives investment decisions and how can they be improved?

Postdoctoral Researchers 1.9.2022 – 31.8.2025

Bhattacharya, Atmadeep, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
Tri-component fuel chemistry for clean spark ignition engines (CleanSI)

De Oliveira E Souza, Victor, Dept. of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering
Moving together (MOTO) – high-resolution brain mapping technology for the motor pathways

Guccini, Valentina, Dept. of Bioproducts and Biosystems
Biomimetic nanocellulose-based biohybrids with immobilized photosynthetic co-culture for wastewater remediation and carbon capture – MimetiCell

Guckelsberger, Christian, Dept. of Computer Science
NEXT-IM: Next-Generation Computational Intrinsic Motivation

Haataja, Johannes, Dept. of Applied Physics
Voltage-controlled photonic materials based on non-equilibrium liquid interfaces

Nisula, Mikko, Dept. of Chemistry and Materials Science
Memristive behaviour in conductive coordination polymer thin films (MEMPOL)

Otero Fumega, Adolfo, Dept. of Applied Physics
MULTI-VAN: Designing new Multiferroics with layered van der Waals materials

Partanen, Mikko, Dept. of Electronics and Nanoengineering
Unified theory of optical force fields and its engineering applications

Trapp, Martin, Dept. of Computer Science
Exploiting probabilistic circuits for stochastic processes and deep learning

Verma, Vikas, Dept. of Computer Science
Self-supervised and semi-supervised deep learning methods with applications to drug discovery and healthcare

Vigren, Minna, Dept. of Computer Science
Imagining sustainable digital futures: Outlines for eco-digital citizenship

Wong, William, Dept. of Applied Physics
Enhanced electrocatalysis via the superwetting plastron effect (SuperElectro)

Yoon, Hoon Hahn, Dept. of Electronics and Nanoengineering
Single-junction broadband spectrometers

Yossef, Mostafa, Dept. of Civil Engineering
3D printed structural thermoelectric generator

Read more from the Academy of Finland’s website

Photo: Aalto University, Mikko Raskinen

Edited 22.6.2022: Total funding changed from EUR 5.8 million to EUR 7.3 million (research costs added according to the Academy of Finland's decisions in June). Adolfo Otero Fumega added, Fedor Urtev removed.