Louise Chawla, Ph.D. is an active fellow in the Center for Community Engagement, Design, and Research at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her research and writing relates to children’s experiences of nature and urban environments, including the development of active care for built communities and the natural world. She has been involved with conservation psychology since the origins of this field, with a particular focus on city greening and encouraging lifelong environmental action.
Dr. Chawla helped to create Growing Up Boulder, a partnership between the City of Boulder, University of Colorado Boulder, the city school district, and many community-based organizations to involve children and teens in city planning and design. She continues to be active on the Growing Up Boulders Steering Committee as well as serving on the Scientific Advisory Council of the Children and Nature Network.
Currently, Dr. Chawla is in the early stages of writing a book on the development of connection and care for the natural world in childhood and adolescence, as well as related articles and chapters in other books.