Lisa Kervin

Lisa Kervin AM is a Professor of Early Childhood in the Faculty of Education at Monash University.

LIsa is an ARC Future Fellow whose research focuses on intergenerational play. Through this program of research, she is developing national and international case studies to theorise and build new constructs that deepen understanding of intergenerational play and connection.

In 2024, Lisa was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the King’s Birthday Honours for her significant contributions to tertiary education and early childhood digital literacy research.

A leading scholar in early childhood education, Lisa’s work explores children’s literate practices, adult–child interactions, young children’s writing, and play. She has particular expertise in children’s museums as social living labs, drawing on experience in establishing museum spaces and leading research programs within them. She has served as Chief Investigator on six Australian Research Council Discovery Projects and was a founding Chief Investigator with the Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, where her research examines children’s play, digital literacy, and digital engagement.

Lisa is an Editorial Board member of the Journal of Early Childhood Literacy and serves on the Board of Early Childhood Australia. She regularly advises government departments, research teams, and industry partners on matters related to early childhood education.