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.
EXPERIENCES OF COMMUNITY SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATORS
This study explores how community sexual health educators in rural Utah navigate the cultural and political context to provide sex education. We have found that educators often work creatively, using approaches like cultural humility and community-centered programming to bridge values gaps and foster open dialogue about sexual health.
HIGHLIGHTED WORK
NEWS ARTICLE.
Contraception vending machine possibly coming to Logan campus, The Utah Statesman, March 31, 2025 [link]
NEWS ARTICLE.
USU student group steps up as Planned Parenthood closes clinics, Utah Public Radio, April 29, 2025 [link]
NEWS ARTICLE.
CEHS Undergrads Receive Robust Opportunities to Thrive in Research, Utah State TODAY, May 6th, 2024 [link]
NEWS ARTICLE.
Undergrads Receive Robust Opportunities to Thrive in Nationally Funded Research Projects, Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services News, April 25th, 2024 [link]
NEWS ARTICLE.
CEHS Researchers Collaborate with Canyons School District to Impact Youth with Disabilities, Utah State TODAY, May 6th, 2024 [link]
NEWS ARTICLE.
Researchers Collaborate with Canyons School District to Impact Youth with Disabilities, Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services News, April 25th, 2024 [link]
BEST DESIGN PAPER AWARD.
Lawrence, L., Guo, B., Yang, K., Echeverria, V., Kang, Z., Bathala, V., Li, C., Huang, W., Rummel, N., & Aleven, V. (2022). Process to co-design AI-based orchestration tools to support dynamic transitions: Design narratives through Conjecture Mapping. Paper accepted at the15th Annual Conference on Computer Supported Collaborative Learning. International Society of the Learning Sciences. Hiroshima, Japan. [link] [pdf]
