Ioana R. Podina

My name is Ioana Podina, and I am the head of the Laboratory of Cognitive Clinical Sciences and a full professor at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences (FPSE), University of Bucharest (UB).

My professional background is in clinical and cognitive psychology, with a specialization in psychotherapy certified by the Albert Ellis Institute (New York, USA).

I currently serve as Chair of the Research Committee for the Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration (SEPI) and as a country representative for the Society for Psychotherapy Research (SPR). More recently, I joined UNESCO’s group on the ethics of neurotechnologies.

My research areas include digital mental health, e-health interventions, psychopathology, clinical cognitive science, human-computer interaction, and meta-research in psychology. In this capacity, I am privileged to lead a group of young, enthusiastic researchers who share diverse interests in cognitive sciences, with a particular focus on mental health.

Positions - current and previous

2024 - Present

Professor (tenure), Department of Applied Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Bucharest, Romania

2019 - 2024

Associate Professor (tenure), Department of Applied Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Bucharest, Romania

2021 - 2022

Human Computer Interaction Researcher, PMSolutions SRL

2017 - 2021

Senior Researcher, The International Center for Research and Education in Innovative Creative Technologies - CINETic, University of Theatre and Film I.L. Caragiale, Bucharest, Romania

2015 - 2019

Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychology, University of Bucharest, Romania

2015 - 2016

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Bucharest, Romania

2011 - 2014

Research & Teaching Assistant, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Babes-Bolyai University, Romania

Project management experience

2021 - 2023: PI of the “aiCARE project - An Artificial Intelligence powered Conversational therapeutic Agent for Anxiety and depREssion in young adult cancer survivors, Funding agency: Romanian Ministry of Education and Research, CNCS-UEFISCDI, project number PN-III-P1-1.1-TE-2019-2140; Role: Principal Investigator (431.890 RON)

2021 - 2022: Lead of the psychology team on the EU-funded project "HOLOTRAIN" - an innovative augmented reality training platform assisted by interactive photorealistic holograms” (POC 2014 – 2020, SMIS 129077) (19.823.840,49 RON)

2017 - 2021: Team Leader - Development of a theatre therapy methodology with neurochemical and neurocognitive effects – MET project, Funding agency: The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through Competitiveness Operational Programme 2014-422020, SMIS code 106688, (4.409.100,00 RON)

2015 - 2017: PI of the “SIGMA: A Self-help, Integrated and Gamified Mobile phone Application for weight management in young adults” Funding agency: Romanian Ministry of Education and Research, CNCS- UEFISCDI, project number PN II-RU-TE-2014-4-2481; (548.826 RON)

2014: PI of “A programmatic approach to irrational beliefs: From neurobiological correlates to innovative interventions of change”, project enrolled in the Program of Advanced Interdisciplinary Research – An Integrated Network of Interdisciplinary Research – RICI, BBU (postdoctoral project)

Other relevant professional experiences

2024: Vice chair and Member of the UNESCO Ethics in Neurotechnologies expert group

2023 - Present: Member of the Board of the Department of Applied Psychology and Psychotherapy, Member of the Board of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, UB

2021 - Prezent: Membru al Colegiului Consultativ pentru Cercetare-Dezvoltare și Inovare – CCCDI

2019 - Present: Editorial Board Member: Journal of Clinical Psychology; Psychotherapy Research Journal; Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, BMC Psychology

2017 - Present: Chair of the SEPI research committee, Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration, USA

2017 - Present: Expert Evaluator for: EIC Accelerator Open (2024 call), Swiss National Science Foundation (remote referee, 2022, 2024 call), ERC Starting grants (remote referee; 2020), Stars Grants, University of Padua (2017 call), Romanian Research Gala - second edition, 2024

2017 - Present: Founder and head of the Laboratory of Cognitive Clinical Sciences

2017 - Present: Country coordinator for Romania, Society for Psychotherapy Research, USA

2017 - Present: Member of EHPS (European Health Psychology Association), Member of the Romanian Psychological Association; Member of SPR (Society for Psychotherapy Research), Member of the SEPI research committee (Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration)

2021 - 2023: Chair of the Ad Astra Association of Romanian Researchers

2018 - 2022: Member of the Executive Board of the Research Center for Applied Psychology, UB

2017 - 2022: Representative for Romania on the COST Action CA16102 „ European Network on Individualized Psychotherapy Treatment of Young People with Mental Disorders”, (PI Dr. Randi Ulberg, Oslo University, Norway)

The Laboratory of Cognitive Clinical Sciences

Location: Bulevardul Iuliu Maniu, nr. 1-3, Corp A, et. 5, camera 522, sector 6, București.

Email Address labstiintecognitiveclinice@gmail.com

Politică de Confidențialitate