EDRA Recognizes Design Research That Supports Student Well-Being

The Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA) has awarded a 2025 Certificate of Research Excellence (CORE) to Enriched Environments to Support Social and Emotional Learning: A Visual Design Guide, a study led by Dr. Renae Mantooth at HKS.

The recognition highlights the study’s rigorous methodology and practical value for school design teams seeking to better support student well-being. Developed in collaboration with Uplift Education and funded by CADRE, the project translates a comprehensive literature review and educator interviews into a tool designers can use to integrate social and emotional learning (SEL) principles into K–12 environments.

The final deliverable—a visual design guide—organizes evidence-based strategies into accessible, interactive cards categorized by stimuli type, design scale, and educational setting. Reviewers commended the study’s cross-disciplinary approach, methodological transparency, and its ability to connect research findings with everyday classroom realities.

EDRA’s CORE program recognizes design research that is both methodologically sound and directly applicable to practice. Mantooth’s work was noted for elevating teacher voices, advancing equity, and offering a clear model for translating research into design guidance.