Sean McCusker

Dr. Sean McCusker is an Associate Professor at Northumbria University within the Social Work, Education & Community Wellbeing school. With a PhD in Civil Engineering (1999), he transitioned to education research, focusing on innovative teaching methods, data visualization, and the integration of playfulness into learning environments. His work emphasizes LEGO® Serious Play®, clowning pedagogy, and public understanding of complex data.

Research Interests: Public Understanding of Evidence; Data Interfaces; Play and Playfulness; Clowns and Clowning; LEGO® Serious Play®; International Development Education. He has led European projects on STEM education, gender equality in technology, and senior citizen engagement with technology.

Key contributions include exploring clowning’s role in education, developing interactive data display tools, and cross-cultural studies on moral thinking. His book Pedagogy of the Clown (2023) and articles highlight innovative educational frameworks. He contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to quality education.

Grants/Projects: Includes roles in World Class Arena assessments, ICT-enabled distance learning, and EU-funded initiatives on girls in STEM. Collaborations span global educational networks.