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Dr. Lauren McNamara
Designing for Social Connection and Healthy Development
As an applied educational psychologist, I draw on human ecology and systems thinking to examine how schools, schoolyards, parks, museums, and other shared environments influence learning, belonging, health, and participation. I am interested in how design, policy, and everyday practice create the conditions that help people—and communities—thrive.
I work with educators, researchers, designers, planners, governments, social innovators, and community organizations to translate research into practical strategies. My approach brings together research, policy, design, and collaboration to support meaningful and lasting change.
Much of my work has focused on schools and schoolyards. I founded Schoolyards for Thought and The Recess Project to advance research, policy, and practice related to recess, play, school engagement, and children's everyday experiences. Through this work, I have contributed to national and international initiatives that bridge research with practice and support healthier, more inclusive schools.
I'm especially interested in conversations about child development, school and community design, public space, belonging, and the role everyday environments play in shaping healthier, more connected lives.
Current Areas Of Work
Schoolyards and Recess • Everyday Environments • Inclusive Design & Participation • Human Development • Systems Change & Organizational Practice • Sport, Recreation, & Play • Public Space, Childhood & Community Life
Core Questions Driving the Work
How do everyday environments shape belonging and participation?
What conditions support meaningful engagement and human development?
How do policies, design, and organizational norms influence experience?
What becomes possible when schools and public spaces are reimagined through a developmental lens?
More About Dr. Lauren McNamara
Dr. Lauren McNamara is a researcher, author, Ashoka Fellow, and systems change leader. Her research has long focused on some of our toughest social challenges - particularly those associated with social connection and well-being at school. Her research and writing have appeared in academic journals, professional publications, policy statements, and national conversations related to child development, education, inclusion, health, and well-being.
She holds a PhD in Educational Psychology from Simon Fraser University and an MS in Learning Sciences from Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy. As part of my broader research on school climate, belonging, social inclusion, and child well-being, she founded Schoolyards For Thought and The Recess Project to explore how everyday school environments shape children’s social experiences, participation, and well-being.
With more than 25 years of experience in higher education, research, and interdisciplinary collaboration, her passion lies in translating complex ideas into meaningful and actionable insights. She enjoys collaborating with local, national, and international organizations across education, health, research, recreation, museums, accessibility, and community sectors on initiatives related to social connection, belonging, mental health, and creating environments that help children thrive.