Kai Nordlund is professor of computational materials physics and Vice rector of the University of Helsinki. As vice rector, he puts particular emphasis on high-quality education, student and staff wellbeing and promotion of highest level science. Living in a family where four languages are spoken routinely, also multilinguality and ensuring equal opportunities for foreign staff and students are close to his heart. He received his PhD in physics in 1995 at the University of Helsinki, and after postdoc positions at the University of Illinois and Academy of Finland was appointed full professor at his alma mater in 2003. In addition to being vice rector, he is member of a 20-person research group doing quantum mechanical, classical and mesoscale atomistic simulations of radiation and other non-equilibrium effects in all classes of materials. As of 2023, he has published more than 580 refereed publications, and his h-index exceeds his age.