Dr Upton is the Research Officer of the Institute of Welsh Affairs, and has led projects on a variety of issues related to the Welsh economy and education system. Prior to joining the IWA, she was a Research Associate in the Cardiff University School of City and Regional Planning, where her research focused primarily on regional innovation strategies, regional economies and the role of universities within them, and governance structures. She is currently working on the "UK's Changing Union" project, a joint initiative between the Wales Governance Centre, IWA and Tomorrow's Wales.