Filomena Parada

Filomena Parada serves as an Auxiliary Researcher at Lusófona University's CeiED research center. She holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Porto (2008) and maintains active international collaborations including Minds Hub Research Group (University of Helsinki), Relationships Change Processes and Wellbeing group (University of Porto), International Centre for Guidance Studies (University of Derby), and Education Social Justice and Transformation Research Group (University of Portsmouth).

Her educational foundation in psychology underpins research examining how contextual factors shape career trajectories. She has built an international career spanning Portugal, Finland, and Canada with affiliations at University of Coimbra, University of Jyväskylä, and University of British Columbia.

Dr. Parada's work centers on youth transitions to work and adulthood, investigating positive youth development frameworks within sustainable career paradigms. She applies Contextual Action Theory to deconstruct career counselling processes while examining lifelong learning systems and researcher career development. Her methodology emphasizes real-time behavioral analysis within socio-structural constraints.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals consistent focus on Southern European youth transitions, comparative education systems, and dynamic career construction processes. Her work bridges psychology, sociology, and education policy through mixed-methods approaches centered on agency development during critical life transitions.

Recognition includes four competitive fellowships:

• MSCA Standard Individual Fellowship

She has contributed to 14 research projects as PI, Co-PI, and research coordinator, currently leading a work package in Horizon Europe's EDU-LAB project. Her leadership extends to COST Action committees, EARA Executive Council (as National Representatives Network Chair), and Journal of Vocational Behavior's editorial board.

Dr. Parada actively participates in Minds Hub Research Group (Helsinki) and Relationships Change Processes and Wellbeing group (Porto), driving international collaboration on career development theory through the Career Lead network and International Centre for Guidance Studies.