From Research to Real-World Impact: Dr Taisiia Mukii at UCL Innovation & Enterprise

 "What happens when research meets entrepreneurship, education and real-world impact? This is a question I have been exploring throughout my recent professional journey  at UCL Innovation and Enterprise "SPERO: Learn for Researchers": I’m delighted to share that I've completed the programme, was selected as one of 10 finalists in the UCL Pitch Competition for Reseachers, received individual mentoring that helped me sharpen my idea and ultimately secure grant funding from Lewisham Council, and was invited by the School’s Director to join a creative focus-group developing a new course for PhD students. I will also be bringing some of these ideas into the lectures I’ll be delivering at UCL School of Management this September-October.

For me, SPERO was much more than a course. It helped me connect the different strands of my work - as a researcher in psychology, AI and education, founder of Wise Parents School, educator, author, STEM-mentor and project lead  -  and see how research, entrepreneurship, learning, wellbeing and social impact can reinforce one another. 

A special thank you to the SPERO teaching team and mentors Warrick Harniess, Mario Moustras for their expertise, generosity and, especially, their personalised guidance. Those one-to-one conversations helped me cut through the noise, focus on what really mattered and turn an idea into a much clearer proposition - with a very tangible outcome. I’m very grateful to the School’s leadership Jerry Allen for the trust, encouragement and opportunities to contribute beyond the programme itself. With huge gratitude to Nataliia Hrytsiuk, I hope my lectures will inspire the aspiring entrepreneurs on the course with valuable insights and help turn their ambitious ideas into meaningful results.

A huge thank you to my fellow participants for the inspiration, meaningful conversations and generous exchange of ideas throughout the programme Russell de Roeper, Andrew Cummins, Grazzielle Lefranc, Dr Xandra Miguel-Lorenzo, Valentyna Bilan, Alina Marm, Julio C. Ortega Cambara.

I’m looking forward to putting everything I’ve learned into practice and inspiring the next generation through my lectures, mentoring, community events, and the development of projects that create meaningful impact."

An Evidence-Informed Approach to Women’s Wellbeing, Resilience and Personal Growth

Woman Who Thrives is a practical wellbeing initiative created by Dr Taisiia Mukii, PhD, bringing together psychological knowledge, evidence-informed reflective practices, experiential learning, creative methods and facilitated social connection. The programme explores how women can develop greater self-awareness, resilience and personal agency while navigating change, relationships, professional transitions, motherhood, migration and other life challenges.

My approach is grounded in the space between research and everyday life: psychological concepts become meaningful when people have an opportunity to experience, reflect on and explore them in practice.

FROM RESEARCH TO REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCE

Rather than simply discussing psychological concepts, Woman Who Thrives creates structured experiences in which participants can observe, reflect, experiment and connect. Different practices are combined according to the purpose of the session. The aim is not to provide predetermined interpretations or tell women how they should feel or live, but to create a space where they can explore their own experiences and identify resources that may support them.

PRACTICE 1 — REFLECTIVE STONE PRACTISE

Making relationships and personal boundaries visible

One of the practices used during Woman Who Thrives is the Stone Reflection Practice.

Participants use physical objects to represent themselves and important people or relationships in their lives. By transforming an internal situation into a visual and tangible representation, participants can observe their relationships from a different perspective.

The practice invites reflection on questions such as:

Who supports me?

Which relationships give me energy?

Which situations feel emotionally demanding?

Where do I position myself in relation to others?

What can I influence?

What is outside my control?

An important psychological distinction emerges through this exercise:

Taking responsibility for what we can influence is not the same as blaming ourselves for everything that happens to us.

The practice can therefore support reflection on relationships, boundaries, personal agency and periods of transition or uncertainty.

International Greenwich Olympiad 2026

It was a great honour and a truly inspiring experience to serve as a judge at the International Greenwich Olympiad 2026 in the categories of Social Sciences and Artificial Intelligence.

This year's Olympiad brought together more than 1,000 participants from 53 countries, showcasing 538 innovative projects. The scale of this event was remarkable and a powerful reminder that the future of science and innovation is being shaped by curious, courageous, and purpose-driven young minds.

As a judge, I had the privilege of seeing how students combine scientific thinking, social responsibility, and the potential of artificial intelligence to address real-world challenges. Their creativity, critical thinking, and commitment to making a positive impact were genuinely inspiring. These young innovators are not simply building technologies - they are creating solutions that have the potential to improve lives.

But the International Greenwich Olympiad is much more than a competition. It is about lifelong connections - the friendships, collaborations, and international partnerships that begin here and continue far beyond the event. These relationships build a global community of people united by a shared vision of a better future.

My sincere gratitude goes to the organisers of the International Greenwich Olympiad for their trust, exceptional organisation, and dedication to creating such a meaningful international platform. I would also like to thank my fellow judge for the engaging discussions, professionalism, and our shared commitment to a fair and thoughtful evaluation process.

I leave this experience with new ideas, new connections, and an even stronger belief in the transformative power of education, science, and international collaboration. This is where the future begins.

#IGO2026 #InternationalGreenwichOlympiad #ArtificialIntelligence #SocialSciences #STEM #Education #Innovation #YoungResearchers #LifelongConnections #GlobalCollaboration

The speech at the University of Cambridge

 I had the incredible honour of being invited to the University of Cambridge twice in May.

The first time, I had the opportunity to deliver a speech at a roundtable dinner at Clare Hall, University of Cambridge. The second time, I immersed myself in contemporary research on child development and wellbeing, AI, and modern education during the Kaleidoscope Conference.

Each of these experiences left a profound impression on me and became an opportunity to rethink the role of psychology, education in a rapidly changing world. Today, it is especially important not only to implement new technologies, but also to create environments where children learn how to think, explore, ask questions, and unlock their potential.

For me, it is deeply valuable to be part of an international professional dialogue about what the future of academia and education should look like - more interdisciplinary, human-centered, and at the same time open to the opportunities AI can offer.

I was especially inspired by examples of children’s books created by fellow researchers, innovative approaches to STEM education for children, and the opportunity to explore these topics through multiple lenses - scientific, technological, and humanitarian. Thank you very much for such an inspiring speech Rupert Wegerif, Luke Wilson-Reid, Ben Garside, Nidhi Singal and for the meaningful discussion Cheryl Pilliner-Reeves ARB SFHEA, Kristina Lebedeva, Maya Karthikeyan, Emilia Sutton, Olga Kotyk, Simon Sällström, Iryna Peretiazhko.

I am sincerely grateful to Keith Dear, Holly Hedgeland for the invitation to speak, contribute, and share my experience, for the beautiful postcard commemorating this evening. A huge thank you to the conference team for creating such a positive environment that fosters broadening perspectives, collaboration, and growth. I will definitely take away valuable ideas and potential collaborations for Liverpool John Moores University TAILWIND project and Wise Parents School project "Architects of Belonging".

Special thanks to the amazing teams behind both the roundtable dinner and the conference for the impeccable organisation, thoughtful program, and the space created for truly meaningful discussions.

The collaboration with Research Hub exploring AI in Education at the University of Oxford

 I'm pleased to be collaborating with an exciting new interdisciplinary research hub exploring AI in Education. The Hub, AIEOU, is based at the Department of Education, University of Oxford and is led by Dr Sara Ratner.

My interdisciplinary research at the intersection of psychology, cognitive science, STEM education, and learning sciences examines the ethical dimensions that shape the role of AI in learning. Through my involvement in projects such as TAILWIND at Liverpool John Moores University, Wise Parents School, and the The Women in STEM Network, I investigate the psychological aspects of AI-supported learning and contribute to advancing evidence-informed, human-centred approaches to AI in education.

Looking forward to engaging with stakeholders from around the world to help shape the global research agenda. If you'd like to join the conversation regarding the design, regulation, implementation and impact of AI in Education, please reach out.

Taisiia Mukii

Family workshop where creativity becomes a language of connection

 Join us for a unique family workshop where creativity becomes a language of connection.

Using the LEGO Serious Play approach, children and adults will co-create the architecture of a happy future life through hands-on storytelling with LEGO bricks.

Together, we will imagine and build visions of wellbeing, connection, safety, dreams, and opportunities — focusing on what we want to create for ourselves, our families, and our communities.

Through creativity and collaboration beyond language and across cultures, we will shape hopeful stories about the future we want to live in, while discovering and revealing our inner family superpowers through play.

No special skills are needed — just curiosity and openness.

✨ Family-friendly

✨ Creative & interactive

✨ Suitable for children and adults

✨ Informal tea, coffee & conversation after the session

📍 Facework Maker Space, 389 Queens Road, London SE14 5HD

📅 20 June 2026 11:00 - 13:00

👥 Open to all communities

After registration we will send a follow-up form to the email address you provided.

In this form, we will ask you to confirm additional details such as:

• the number of family members attending and their ages

• dietary preferences

• and other practical information related to the workshop.

Your registration will be fully completed once this form has been submitted.

Book your tickets

Supported by DobroDIY CIC and Lewisham Borough of Sanctuary as part of Refugee Week 2026.

Practical session for parents and educators

 Recently at Hatcham House in London, I led a seminar for parents and educators on children’s and adolescents’ motivation, exploring how modern technologies and AI are reshaping attention, interests, and future aspirations.

In my work, I view motivation as a dynamic cognitive process influenced by attention, emotions, memory, and environment. During the seminar, we focused on reflection and virtual reflection, metacognition, and children’s ability to recognise and regulate their own thinking in both educational and digital contexts.

Together, we explored how parents and educators can support:
💭 metacognitive skills;
💭 attention management and cognitive load regulation;
💭 autonomy and a sense of competence.

The practical part included evidence-informed tools drawn from my experience working with children. I increasingly believe that in a world shaped by AI and constant change, the key task is not controlling children, but helping them develop intrinsic motivation, reflective thinking, and the ability to make conscious choices.

👩‍👩‍👧‍👦 One particularly meaningful moment was feedback from the mother of a 15-year-old boy choosing his future educational path: “I am deeply grateful for this valuable seminar. My only regret is that I did not know these things earlier. If I had understood the psychology of motivation better when he was 11–14, I could have preserved my son’s belief in his own path and would not have discouraged him from pursuing his dream.”

I am sincerely grateful for the thoughtful feedback from parents and colleagues. Together with Wise Parents School, through collaboration and shared effort, we are making a difference.

#Motivation #Metacognition #Education #EducationalPsychology #CognitivePsychology #Neuroscience #AIinEducation #IntrinsicMotivation #SelfRegulatedLearning #Parenting #ChildDevelopment #FutureOfEducation #ReflectiveThinking #LearningSkills #EdTech #TeachingAndLearning #DigitalWellbeing #HigherEducation #Psychology