Kerstin Nordstrom

Kerstin Nordstrom is an Associate Professor of Physics at Mount Holyoke College, specializing in soft matter physics and granular materials. Her research bridges experimental studies of fluid-like systems (e.g., sand, oobleck) with computational methods and machine learning, while also addressing physics education and diversity in science. She has secured $1.4 million in grants, including the NSF CAREER Award and Cottrell Scholar recognition.

• Research Focus: Soft matter, granular flow dynamics, active matter (robot swarms, microorganisms), and educational identity studies.
• Teaching: Redesign of introductory and advanced physics courses, emphasizing computational skills and biological context.
• Outreach: Founder of Science Launch for underrepresented students, organizer of SciTech Cafe public lectures, and contributor to the American Physical Society’s diversity initiatives.
• Leadership: Co-chair of the 2026 Granular Matter Gordon Conference.

Her lab employs ultra-high-speed video and microfluidics, with publications in journals like Physical Review Fluids and Granular Matter. Seven of her 20+ publications include student co-authors.