Lucas is Professor of Education Policy and Practice, Youth Studies and currently director of the Monash Centre for Youth Policy & Education Practice (CYPEP), which has 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, ITE and school funding. Lucas is further interested in young people as reflections of and active participants in shaping contemporary society.

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. 

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 - in particular their transitions through school to post-school life and the implications of these for educators, other service providers and policy makers. Current areas include youth transitions to employment and young people's experiences of citizenship.
2. How evidence can be used more effectively to support those working to improve the life-outcomes of children and young people.
3. Teacher professional learning and development in relation to the areas above.

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 solutions to wicked problems.

Lucas has worked extensively in collaboration with universities, NGOs, governments and the private sector throughout his career. 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.

He 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).

Lucas has been invited to advise local and commonwealth governments and briefed state and federal ministers and senior policy advisers.

He has published in and provided commentary to every major news outlet in Australia and numerous international news publications. He is currently a regular commentator for the U.S. publication Newsweek.

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.

He is a member of:

• The Monash University Food Security Working Group
• Korea Network Community of Practice 
• The Australian Financial Security Authority Consumer Consultative Panel
• The National Climate Risk Assessment Expert Advisory Committee
• The Australian Youth Affairs Coalition (Deputy Chair)
• RAISE Foundation Research Advisory Council (Chair)
• The Smith Family's Growing Careers Project: External Reference Group
• Friends of the (Australian) Parliamentary Group for Future Generations.

Follow Lucas on X: @ProfLucasWalsh

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

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

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