CV – Jelena Popov

I am a social and cultural psychologist focusing on education and work. I am interested in how psychological concepts and ideas can be used to examine learning, work and creativity in various social settings and practices and contribute to social justice.

Some of my research interests are: early professional formation and learning (transitions to work, internships, formation of professional identity), work transitions (e.g. career changes after maternity and paternity leave), work-related processes of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship in a variety of professions (e.g. psychotherapy, engineering, creative industries).

Uddannelse / Education

PhD, Doctor of Philosophy in Education

University College London, 2019

MA Education

Institute of Education, University of London, 2013

MSc Psychology

University of Novi Sad, 2011

BA Psychology

University of Novi Sad, 2009

Ansættelsesforhold og funktion / Function & Work Role

Instructor in the national collaboration with the Danish Psychotherapist Association since August 2022 in philosophy of science and research methods. Instructor and module coordinator for the Mixed Methods module (MM). Average of 2 hours per month.

Faglig kompetence / Experiences & Competences

Experienced mixed methods and quantitative researcher with prior training in psychotherapy as well as academic research on psychotherapy practice and profession.

Pædagogisk kompetence / Teaching Experiences

Experienced higher education teacher with 7+ years of teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students and adult learners.

Relevant erhvervserfaring / Relevant Experience

2024–

Assistant Professor

University College London

2021–2024

Lecturer in Teaching

UCL Institute of Education, London

2018–2021

Senior Teaching Fellow

UCL Institute of Education, London

2017–2018

Teaching Fellow

UCL Institute of Education, London

Mar 2025–Mar 2026

Researcher / Chief Investigator

Careers Articulation and Reflection Ecosystem (CARE), UCL

Jul 2023–Jul 2024

Researcher / Chief Investigator

'Becoming Work Ready' project, Centre for Engineering Education, UCL

Nov 2021–Dec 2022

Researcher

The Future of Artificially Intelligent Examination (PTE), UCL

Oct 2020–Mar 2021

Researcher

Skills, Knowledge, Artificial Intelligence and Labour (SKAIL), UCL

Nov 2016–Dec 2017

Researcher

Guidance of Adult Learning (GOAL), UCL

Oct–Dec 2013

Contract Researcher

IPSOS MORI, London

Mar–Jul 2013

Policy Researcher

DG Education and Culture, The European Commission, Brussels

Publikationer & andre relevante forhold / Publications

Wu, Y. & Popov, J. (2026). Echoes of Generative Intelligence in Higher Education. In Livingstone & Guile (Eds.), General Intellect in the Digital Age. Brill.
Popov, J., Guile, D. & Leaton Grey, S. (2026). Intelligent Assessment and Global Mobility. In Gourlay et al. (Eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of Science and Technology Studies and Education. Palgrave.
Popov, J. (2026). Young people's occupational aspirations beyond the aspiration discourse: a sociocultural perspective. British Educational Research Journal. doi:10.1002/berj.70123
Popov, J. (2025). Motivation in internship: working to learn and learning to work. Journal of Vocational Education & Training, 77(5), 1502–1522. doi:10.1080/13636820.2025.2462957
Popov, J. & Willert, S. (2025). Kapitel 8: Kvantitativ forskning i psykoterapi. I Willert, Nygaard Pedersen & von Bülow (red.), Forskning i egen praksis: En indføring for praktikere. Hans Reitzels Forlag.
Popov, J. (2025). Kapitel 9: 'At kombinere tal og stemmer': Psykoterapiforskning med blandede metoder. I Willert, Nygaard Pedersen & von Bülow (red.), Forskning i egen praksis: En indføring for praktikere. Hans Reitzels Forlag.
Guile, D. & Popov, J. (2024). Machine learning and human learning: a socio-cultural and -material perspective. AI & Society, 40, 325–338. doi:10.1007/s00146-024-01891-6
Popov, J. (2024). Learning in unaccredited internship as development of interns' 'horizontal expertise'. Vocations and Learning, 17, 277–295. doi:10.1007/s12186-023-09342-x
Popov, J. (2021). Learning and Workplace Technology: Machine Learning as learning at the interface between machines and humans (SKAIL Project).
Popov, J. (2020). Boundary crossing and identity re-negotiation in internships. Learning, Culture and Social Interaction. doi:10.1016/j.lcsi.2020.100383
Popov, J. (2018). Graduate transition to work: from qualifications and skills towards horizontal expertise (Doctoral dissertation). UCL.
Carpentieri, J. D., Litster, J., Cara, O. & Popov, J. (2018). Guidance and Orientation for Adult Learners (GOAL): Final cross-country evaluation report. London: UCL.
Popov, J. (2017). A case for mixed method research of (horizontal) expertise development. ISCAR Congress.