Lauren Shaw

Dr Lauren Shaw is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Head of Psychology at James Cook University, where she provides leadership for the design, delivery, and development of psychology programs across Australia and Singapore. A highly regarded educator, known for her ability to communicate complex ideas in clear, practical, and engaging ways, Lauren is passionate about delivering high-quality, equitable, and transformative learning experiences. She believes in the power of education to change lives and is committed to creating accessible, flexible learning opportunities, including online programs that reduce barriers and broaden access.

As an academic leader, Lauren is recognised for her future-focused and innovative approach. She has led the successful development and delivery of multiple fourth-year psychology programs nationwide and received the 2025 JCU Excellence Award for Change and Innovation for transforming fourth-year psychology into a more flexible, student-focused program. She has supervised more than 100 fourth-year research projects to completion.

Lauren has extensive teaching experience across social psychology, organisational psychology, research methods and statistics, and ethics and evidence-based practice. Her teaching is grounded in experiential and reflective learning, emphasising transferable skill development and applying theory to real-world contexts. She has also led the development of bespoke, multidisciplinary, industry-focused programs in partnership with organisations including the Queensland Public Service Commission and the Australian Army.

Her research adopts an interdisciplinary approach, applying psychological expertise across education, health, organisational, and legal contexts to address complex, real-world challenges. Current areas of focus include:

• Best practice in online education, with particular interest in understanding the dynamics of the student–educator relationship in a digital world
  
• Women’s health, focusing on the psychological impact of co-occurring conditions and systemic gender bias within healthcare
  
• The intersection of psychology, law, and mental health
  
• Leadership development and practices

She is currently supervising two PhD candidates and welcomes expressions of interest from prospective research students in these areas. An accomplished public speaker, Lauren has presented her research findings on media outlets including The Project, Channel 7 News, and local ABC radio stations nationally, and is available for public speaking engagements on topics related to her research, teaching, and leadership.