Rate My Professor Gillian Yeo

Professor Yeo's research examines dynamic self-regulatory processes related to motivation, emotion, and cognition in the context of learning, performance, and well-being. She applies laboratory-developed theories and methods to field settings, informing practices in training and development, work design, performance management, and employee health and well-being. She has secured six Australian Research Council grants, including studies on goal-oriented leader behaviour in action teams, integrating safety goals for adaptive capabilities, and dynamic models of goal striving. Yeo received the Early Career Research Award from the Australian Psychological Society and the Mid-Career Researcher Award from the University of Western Australia. She serves as Associate Editor of the Journal of Applied Psychology, previously as Contributing Editor for that journal from 2008 to 2019 and for Personnel Psychology from 2017 to 2019. Her work appears in premier journals such as Journal of Applied Psychology, Personnel Psychology, Journal of Management, and Journal of Organizational Behavior. Key publications include 'A neurocognitive framework of attention and creativity: Maximizing usefulness and novelty via directed and undirected pathways' (2024, Journal of Organizational Behavior), 'Changes in Affect During the Pursuit of Performance Goals' (2022, Emotion), and 'Presenteeism during public health crises: Examining why organisational sickness preventative practices work differently for men and women' (2026, Australian Journal of Management). Within UWA, she has served as Graduate Research Coordinator (2013-2015), Honours Coordinator (2016-present), Deputy Head of Department (2017), and Head of Department (2020-present).