Lauren Shaw

Dr Lauren Shaw is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Head of Psychology at James Cook University, where she leads the development, delivery and growth of psychology programs across Australia and Singapore. An experienced and accomplished  academic leader with a strong focus on educational innovation, quality and curriculum transformation, Lauren has a demonstrated track record of success in creating programs that respond to the changing needs of students, the profession and the broader community.

Lauren is passionate about the role higher education can play in changing lives and expanding opportunity. She is particularly committed to creating high-quality, equitable and flexible learning experiences, and to using online education to reduce barriers to participation. Her approach to educational leadership is strategic, future-focused, and collaborative.

Lauren has led the development and transformation of multiple fourth-year psychology programs across Australia, with a focus on contemporary, flexible and student-centred education. In 2025, she received the JCU Excellence Award for Change and Innovation for her role in transforming fourth-year psychology at JCU. She is also committed to developing academic capability and supporting colleagues to grow, innovate and contribute their strengths. She has supervised more than 100 fourth-year psychology research projects to completion.

Lauren has extensive teaching experience across social and organisational psychology, research methods and statistics, and ethics and evidence-based practice. Her teaching is grounded in experiential and reflective learning, with an emphasis on transferable skills and real-world application. She also has experience in Executive Education and has led the development of bespoke, multidisciplinary programs with organisations including the Queensland Public Service Commission and the Australian Army.

Lauren's research adopts an interdisciplinary approach, bringing psychological expertise to complex issues across education, health, organisational and legal contexts. Her current research interests include:

• Best practice in online education, particularly the student–educator relationship in a digital learning environment
• Women’s health, with a focus 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

Lauren currently supervises three PhD candidates and welcomes expressions of interest from prospective research students in these areas. She is also an experienced public speaker, having presented her research across national media including The Project, Channel 7 News and ABC radio. She welcomes opportunities to speak on topics related to psychology, education, leadership and her research.

Organisational and Classroom Justice

Instructional Dissent

Best practice in online education

Psychology Education 

Leadership and Management

Social cognition

Aggression and antisocial behaviour

Leadership and Management

Organisational psychology

Ethics and self-reflection

Critical thinking and academic writing

Research methods and statistics

Social psychology