Clemson University professor appointed to consensus study committee for National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to examine youths’ out-of-school learning experiences

A professor in the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences has been appointed to a committee for the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) to improve out-of-school learning opportunities for children from low-income households.

Ryan Gagnon, associate professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management (PRTM), will serve on the ad hoc consensus study committee Promoting Learning and Development in K–12 Out-of-School-Time Settings for Low-Income and Marginalized Children and Youth.

As the leading institute for scientific research, technological advancement and public policy, the NASEM has convened the committee to study the learning and development of youth in low-income households across the K–12 age span and develop criteria to address structural inequalities in suburban and rural communities.

“It is a well-deserved honor for Dr. Gagnon to serve on a committee convened by the NASEM,” said Bob Barcelona, chair of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management. “Dr. Gagnon’s national reputation for research related to out-of-school-time learning, particularly for youth who are marginalized and underserved, makes him a perfect fit for this committee. I am proud he will be representing the Department, College and University through this important work.”

Gagnon’s research examines parental influence on youth development and the advancement of quantitative research applications in out-of-school settings. His most recent publication, “Developmental Differences in Reported Overparenting, Autonomy and Glucose Monitoring within a Medical Specialty Camp,” advocates for better out-of-school experiences while addressing the effects of overparenting.

Since 2018, Gagnon has led an out-of-school-time project with Clemson University researchers and the YMCA of the Oceti Šakowiŋ (Seven Council Fires) on the Cheyenne River Reservation in Dupree, South Dakota, to assess the impact of out-of-school-time programming on Indigenous youths’ mental health and well-being.

Throughout his teaching and research, Gagnon said he is guided by the question, “Who is not here and why?”

“As an early-career scientist at Clemson, my success is truly a testament to my colleagues’ guidance, mentorship and role modeling,” said Gagnon. “I am honored for the opportunity to take part in the committee’s critical research to better understand and advocate for the learning and development of underserved youth across our nation.”

Prior to joining Clemson, Gagnon participated in outdoor education programs at Washington State University and for the United States Air Force in the youth and teen programs division. He has published research in a variety of areas, including youth development, outdoor education and community development.

Gagnon joined the University in 2017 after earning his doctoral degree in parks, recreation and tourism management.

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management is part of the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences (CBSHS). Established in July 2016, CBSHS is a 21st-century, land-grant college that combines work in seven disciplines – communication; nursing; parks, recreation and tourism management; political science; psychology; public health sciences; sociology, anthropology and criminal justice – to further its mission of “building people and communities” in South Carolina and beyond.