Mark Wales

Background

About Mark Wales

I am a Postdoctral researcher with a PhD in landscape planning, specializing in environmental psychology. My work thus far has focused on the relationship between children and youth and their everyday outdoor environments, exploring how these spaces can support their development, well-being, and aspirations. My current work focuses on sustainable transport from an environmental psychology perspective. I have worked on a range of projects studying children’s everyday outdoor settings—including schoolyards, neighborhoods, and natural environments—and their roles in children’s lives. My aim has always been to contribute to the planning, design, and management of these spaces to better meet children’s needs. I have also explored children’s independent mobility, examining the factors that support or hinder their freedom to move and explore their environments. For ten years, I coordinated the national network Barn, Unga och Byggd miljö (Children, Youth, and the Built Environment), collaborating with diverse stakeholders to advance knowledge and practices in this field. Additionally, I led the master's course Outdoor Environment for Children and Youth, fostering interdisciplinary learning on children's perspectives of their everyday outdoor environments, as well as the planning, design, and management of these spaces. I am passionate about interdisciplinary collaboration and take pride in bridging academic research, teaching, and practical applications to create meaningful, child and youth-friendly environments. I am excited to bring my expertise and experience to new opportunities in research, education, or practice.