Research experience

My research career started in 1997. My background is in counselling psychology with a strong emphasis on human development processes, including career development and lifelong learning processes. I worked in Portugal (University of Porto and University of Coimbra), in Canada (Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow; University of British Columbia), and I currently work in Finland (since June 2019, at the University of Helsinki; 2017-2019 at the University of Jyväskylä). Over the years, I worked as a researcher in several project-based research studies, and my role in these projects ranged from research assistant to principal investigator. To date, I was granted 4 personal/individual grants: the individual fellowship Työsuojelurahasto awarded me (2019 - present), the MSCA Fellowship (2017-2019), a doctoral (1999-2003) and a postdoctoral (2009-2015) fellowship awarded by the Portuguese funding agency, FCT.

These are 

Teaching experience

Since 2002 that I have been teaching in higher education institutions as a lecturer. I have taught in Portuguese (my native language) and in English. 

Most of my teaching experience results from invited lectures I taught on a specific topic or unit of a course. The duration of these lectures ranges from 1.5h to 8h (split into 4 2h lectures) and amounts to a total of 15 lectures/course units. The invited lectures targeted students at the BA, MA and PhD level in different Portuguese (FPCE, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences – University of Porto, University of Coimbra, and University of Lisbon; ICBAS, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto; ISSSP, Porto University of Applied Sciences for Social Work) and international higher education institutions (University of British Columbia, University of Jyväskylä, University of Helsinki). At the University of British Columbia, I was respnsible for the planning and teaching of one course at the BA/undergraduate level, CNPS 363, Section 1 – Career Counselling (UBC, University of British Columbia, Canada).

In addition, I have planned and taught 3 workshops (2h30-3h30), 6 continuing education courses (39h-66h) and 7 personal development/initial qualification courses (over 80h of teaching in total). The courses/workshops targeted different populations (e.g., career counsellors, school psychologists, teachers, educators, social workers, adult education professionals; university students, practitioners, young adults seeking their first or a new job) and covered topics such as career counselling theory and practice, adult education and vocational training, or career development through the lifespan. For the most part, these courses/workshops were taught in Portugal and in Portuguese (institutions: FPCEUP; GAF, Centre for Family Support, ANJE, National Association for the Young Business People, PROFISOUSA). One workshop was taught in English and promoted by the National Board of Certified Counsellors Romania/Titu Maiorescu University/Institute of Education Sciences (Euroguidance; Romania).

Supervision experience

 I have supervised 2 Master thesis at the University of Porto, and within the framework of my post-doctoral research, I assembled, trained, and supervised teams of students (BA/MA level) who volunteered to work in my studies. At FPCEUP, I had a supporting role for the coordination of the 2 editions of the initial training/qualification course organized by the ANQ, National Agency for the Qualification, targeting guidance professionals, vocational training teachers and centre coordinators integrating the governmental initiative Centros Novas Oportunidades [New Opportunities Centres]. This role required providing support to the coordination of the teams of trainers engaged in the program, and to the planning, design and execution of the teaching and other support materials used in the courses.

Memberships and positions of trust in scientific societies

I am a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Vocational and an ad-hoc reviewer for several international, top-specialty journals (e.g., Emerging Adulthood). From 2013 to 2019, I was Portugal’s National Representative for the EARA, European Association for the Research on Adolescence. I am member of several international societies (e.g., EADP, European Association on Developmental Psychology; ESVDC, European Society for Vocational Designing and Career Counselling), and a founding member of the Network for Innovation in Career Guidance and Counselling in Europe (NICE) Foundation. Between 2008 and 2012, was a member of the international taskforce for the “PsychOpen, The European Open-Access Publishing Platform for Psychology” (original designation: European Psychology Publication Platform).

2008: Doctor of Psychology: Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Porto (Portugal).

2001: Graduate Certificate Program: Psychological Intervention: Psychotherapy and Career Guidance, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Porto.

1996: Licentiateship in Psychology: Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Porto.

My research relies on an holistic, dynamic, and process-oriented approach directed toward the understanding of the self-organizing and self-construing processes through which individuals-in-context learn, think, feel, act, and interact in everyday life situations and across time. Processes of goal constructions, as well as career developmental processes and youth transitions to work and adulthood in times of social change areamong my core research interests. Researchers' careers and lifelong learning and lifelong guidance are also among my research interests.