
Hello! I'm Dr. Lu Lawrence!
I am an Assistant Professor at Utah State University in the Instructional Technologies and Learning Sciences program. As a learning scientist and design researcher, I work with communities to design learning environments to accomplish their unique learning goals. My research has been published in venues including the British Journal of Educational Technology, IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, and Journal of Science Education and Technology and has received recognitions, such as the Best Design Award by the International Conference of the Learning Sciences.
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Before joining USU, I was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California Irvine in the School of Education and Carnegie Mellon in the Human-Computer Interaction Institute. I completed my MA and PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the Digital Environment for Learning, Teaching, and Agency program, and hold a BFA in Graphic Design from Iowa State University.
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RESEARCH INTERESTS:
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Design-Based Research
Design Justice
Participatory Design
Learning Sciences
Collaboration
Educational Technology
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GET IN TOUCH!
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lu [dot] lawrence [at] usu [dot] edu

CURRENT PROJECTS

PROJECT UNITE: UNIFIED NETWORKS IN TRANSITION EXCELLENCE
Project UNITE is community-engaged project that sets out to improve transition services for students with disabilities. As part of a research-practice partnership with a Utah-based school district, we work in collaboration with educators, counselors, and administrators to unify efforts for transition service delivery.

EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION ACCESS ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUS
Led by the Student Unified for Reproductive Freedom club at Utah State University, we are evaluating the current availability of reproductive health items, including emergency contraception, on USU’s campus and to gauge interest in a vending machine offering emergency contraception.
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COMMUNITY-ENGAGED STRATEGIC PLANNING WITH SWANER PRESERVE & ECO-CENTER
This project is in partnership with the USU Swaner Preserve & Eco Center to define achievable, community-centered strategic goals. We seek to explore how organizations like Swaner can integrate community voices into decision-making, ensuring goal are grounded in their mission and the needs of the community

BEAR RIVER REGION LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY COALITION
The coalition is dedicated to addressing the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals and their loved ones in Northern Utah. We are dedicated to improving health equity and holistic well-being for all members of the LGBTQ+ community in northern Utah. The goal is to foster greater inclusion, health equity, and a stronger sense of community throughout this region.

COMMUNITY JUSTICE
ADVOCATE PROGRAM
The Community Justice Advocate Program aims to expand access to justice in Utah by training and certifying social workers and other helping professionals to deliver accessible civil legal services. The program is a statewide initiative designed to train and certify social workers and helping professionals—both new and experienced—as alternative legal providers.
