Lucas is Professor of Education Policy and Practice, Youth Studies and director of the Monash Centre for Youth Policy & Education Practice (CYPEP), which created influential research such as The Australian Youth Barometer, and other investigations into young people's food insecurity, exclusion, careers education, personal finances, education and working life.

His interest is in how to better support children and young people through education. His research spans early years, compulsory and post-compulsory schooling, as well as informal and non-formal learning. He has a strong interest in the professional learning of teachers and school leaders, ITE and school funding.

Currently Lucas is exploring responses to the questions: what does the world within and beyond school look like for young people and what types of education and training do they need to navigate it? His research focuses on:

1. The political, economic, cultural, social and technological dimensions of young people's participation, student voice and the student experiece - in particular their transitions through school to post-school life and the implications of these for educators, other service providers and policy makers.
2. How evidence can be used more effectively to support those working to improve the life-outcomes of children and young people.
3. Educator professional learning and development in relation to the areas above.
4. Higher education, student experiece, policy and practice.

He has a lifelong passion for education because it is a key driver of social and economic change. The aim is to influence policy and practice by building connections and surprising alliances needed for evidence-based change.

Lucas has served as Associate Dean (Berwick), Associate Dean (Academic Staff), Deputy Dean and Interim Dean of the Faculty of Education. He has worked in corporate, government and not-for-profit sectors. He was a manager within the International Baccalaureate in the UK, held four research fellowships and was Director of Research and Evaluation at the Foundation for Young Australians. 

Lucas has worked extensively in collaboration with universities, NGOs, governments and the private sector. His work has included joint research, education and evaluation projects with industry, philanthropy and government, engaging with youth entrepreneurs and change-makers, and educators seeking to make a difference.

Professor Walsh champions research translation to wider audiences, policymakers and practitioners through real world applications.

He has published in and provided commentary to every major news outlet in Australia and numerous international news publications. Lucas has, for example, provided regular commentary for the U.S. publication Newsweek.

Lucas has advised local and commonwealth governments and briefed state and federal ministers and senior policy advisers.

He has led interdisciplinary teams and received over $12 million in competitive grants, project and philanthropic funding.

Lucas has conducted research in Australia, South East Asia, Solomon Islands, France, Türkiye, Canada, and the UK. He has been chief investigator on projects for the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, the Australian Flexible Learning Framework, South Australian Government, Western Australian Government, Federal Department of Education and National Curriculum Board (ACARA). Notably, Lucas was a chief investigator on The Q Project (Quality Use of Evidence Driving Quality Education) funded by The Paul Ramsay Foundation.

He is currently a chief investigator on: Invisible labour: Principals' emotional labour in volatile times, which is funded by the Australian Research Council.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-walsh-936179a/?originalSubdomain=au

CYPEP website: https://www.monash.edu/education/cypep

ARC DP Invisible Labour website: https://www.monash.edu/education/research/projects/school-principals-emotional-labour-in-volatile-times

Lucas has been a member of:

• The Monash University Food Security Working Group
• Monash Faculty of Education Research Committee 
• Korea Network Community of Practice 
• Monash Academic Board
• Vice Chancellor's Executive Committee