Juha Holma is a Professor and Head of the Department of Psychology at the University of Jyväskylä’s Faculty of Education and Psychology. His work focuses on clinical psychology, psychotherapy research, and interventions for intimate partner violence (IPV). Holma leads projects on group therapy for batterers, couples therapy for IPV, and virtual reality (VR) applications in violence prevention, including the EU-funded VR per GENERE project. Research Themes: Intimate Partner Violence, Group/Couples Therapy, VR Rehabilitation, Narrative Analysis Leadership: Department Head since 2018; active in Finnish healthcare policy and multidisciplinary violence research. His recent publications analyze therapeutic outcomes, gender dynamics in IPV treatment, and psychological disorder frameworks. Holma collaborates with teams across Europe on VR-based tools to enhance empathy and reduce violence, while also studying recovery processes in chronic illness and suicide prevention programs.
Simone Gorinelli is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Jyväskylä. His work focuses on process-based therapy, virtual reality applications in psychology, and therapist competence evaluation. He is currently leading a Research Council of Finland-funded project (PROCEED) to develop standardized methods for assessing therapeutic skills grounded in process-based therapy frameworks. Research Interests: Developing objective therapist competence evaluation tools Virtual Reality interventions for social anxiety Psychological flexibility and self-compassion mechanisms Adolescent well-being via online ACT programs Intimate partner violence prevention using immersive technology He will also contribute to the Youth Compass project (2025–2026) promoting adolescent well-being through online ACT dissemination. His publications analyze VR-based anxiety treatments, distance therapy effectiveness, and psychological distress patterns in international students. Scientific Awards: 2023 : ACBS Junior Investigator Poster Award
Markku Kilpeläinen is a University Lecturer at the Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine. His work focuses on cognitive psychology, perception, and neuroscience, with particular emphasis on visual system research and human-computer interaction. Dr. Kilpeläinen's research explores: Cognitive abilities and their impact on computer task performance Retinal processing mechanisms in primate and human vision Sound-action and sound-space symbolic associations Comparative studies of human and AI visual recognition capabilities His publications since 2025 demonstrate active engagement in interdisciplinary research spanning psychology, neuroscience, and technology design. Recent work includes studies on parenting interventions in perinatal care and novel methods for XR device legibility testing. In collaborative projects, Dr. Kilpeläinen has contributed to: Human Optimized XR (Multisensory Signals and Meanings) International collaborations with institutions like UC Berkeley Business Finland-funded research initiatives
Michiel Spape is a visiting researcher at Medicum , University of Helsinki, and a supervisor in the Doctoral Programme in Population Health. His research spans Computer Science , Psychology , and Neuroscience , with a focus on human-computer interaction and temporal perception. University: University of Helsinki School: Medicum Role: Visiting Researcher & Supervisor Spape's work investigates how cognitive processes like intention, emotion, and sensory feedback influence time perception and brain-computer interfaces . His recent studies combine EEG , virtual reality , and haptics to decode implicit user responses. Email: michiel.spape@helsinki.fi
Niklas Ravaja is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Helsinki, where he serves as a Supervisor in multiple doctoral programs including Human Behavior, Cognition, Learning, Teaching and Communication, Social Sciences, and Population Health. He is also affiliated with the Helsinki Information Technology Research Institute. His research spans interdisciplinary domains connecting psychology with technology and neuroscience. Professor Ravaja's research focuses on the intersection of psychological processes, physiological responses, and technological interfaces. His work examines how social interactions manifest in physiological arousal, particularly in face-to-face versus mediated communication contexts. He investigates time perception alterations under different emotional and intentional states, exploring how cognitive processes influence temporal experience. His research on virtual reality environments examines emotional responses during intergroup encounters and the impact of haptic feedback on social interaction. Ravaja's work consistently integrates neuroscience methodologies with social psychology questions, creating innovative approaches to understanding human behavior in technologically mediated environments. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong trend toward neuroadaptive interfaces and physiological measurement in social contexts. His work increasingly focuses on comparing in-person versus mediated interactions, particularly examining how video communication alters physiological responses during self-disclosure. There's a clear progression from basic research on emotional responses to applied work on health behavior change through biofeedback applications. The integration of virtual reality with physiological measurement represents a significant methodological innovation across his recent work. Professor Ravaja has secured substantial research funding from the Academy of Finland, currently leading three active projects: Meta (focusing on programmable metasurface networks), EngIne (examining engagement in remote social interactions), and PREventive Care Infrastructure. His previous projects have included investigations of mediated haptic communication during social decision making. These projects demonstrate his ability to secure competitive funding for interdisciplinary research bridging psychology, neuroscience, and technology. His academic activities include extensive peer review work (17 instances documented), conference participation and organization (4 instances), editorial work, and academic visits to institutions including University Rennes 1 Graduate School of Management. He has also contributed to media discussions through interviews with Tietoviikko and Hämeen Sanomat, demonstrating his engagement with public discourse around psychological research.
