Rate My Professor Jaakko Timonen

Jaakko Timonen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Physics at Aalto University School of Science, holding the position since 2016. He leads the Active Matter research group, serves as Vice-head of the Department of Applied Physics since 2020, and acts as Deputy Director of the Center of Excellence in Life-Inspired Hybrid Materials (LIBER) since 2022. Timonen obtained his Master's degree in Engineering and Technology from Helsinki University of Technology in 2009, earning the Distinction prize for his master's thesis. He completed his Doctoral degree at Aalto University in 2013, receiving the Distinction prize for his doctoral thesis. His PhD dissertation focused on synthesizing biohybrid fibres controllable using magnetic nanoparticles and nanocellulose, magnetic cilia mimicking biological cilia, self-organisation of magnetic fluid drops, and their application in measuring friction between fluids and fixed surfaces. For this work, he was awarded the Best Doctoral Dissertation of the Year in the field of technology by TEK and TFIF in 2014, as well as Aalto University's Award of Best Dissertation of the Year in 2016. Following his doctorate, Timonen held postdoctoral positions at Northwestern University from 2013 to 2014 and at Harvard University from 2014 to 2016. His research has been supported by prestigious grants, including the ERC Starting Grant from 2019 to 2024 and the Academy of Finland Research Fellowship from 2019 to 2023.

Timonen's research specializes in active matter, focusing on experimental studies of soft and living materials, including the formation and control of non-equilibrium structures and patterns. His expertise encompasses magnetic liquids such as ferrofluids, electrohydrodynamics, electrokinetics, living matter, proteins and liquid-liquid phase separation, aqueous two-phase systems, liquid droplets, capillary phenomena, fluid dynamics, slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces, magnetic control of non-magnetic colloids and living cells, bacterial turbulence, microswimmers, microalgae bioconvection, and cellular aggregates. He has produced 72 research outputs, including highly cited publications in top journals. Key works include 'Switchable static and dynamic self-assembly of magnetic droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces' (2013), 'Oleoplaning droplets on lubricated surfaces' (2017), 'Multifunctional ferrofluid-infused surfaces with reconfigurable multiscale topography' (2018), 'Multifunctional high-performance biofibers based on wet-extrusion of renewable native cellulose nanofibrils' (2011), and 'A facile template-free approach to magnetodriven, multifunctional artificial cilia' (2010). These contributions have advanced fields like physics of living matter and soft materials applications.