Encieh Erfani is a researcher currently at Mainz University. Previously, she held the position of Assistant Professor in the Physics Department at a university in Iran from December 2015 until her resignation in September 2022, in solidarity with protests in Iran. Since then, she has been an exiled scholar. Erfani earned her Ph.D. from Bonn University, Germany, in 2012, with a focus on Theoretical Physics/Cosmology. Following her resignation, Dr. Erfani has been a vocal advocate for academic freedom and human rights. In November 2022, she co-founded the International Community of Iranian Academics (ICOIA) to further this cause. She holds affiliations, including being a Fellow of the International Science Council (ISC), an Advisory Board member of the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), a TWAS Young Affiliate member, and a member of the Global Young Academy.