Raji Swaminathan
Senior Qualitative Methodologist
Dr. Swaminathan is a senior consultant for Research Analytics Consulting (RAC), where she brings deep expertise in qualitative research methods, innovative evaluation approaches, and equity-focused inquiry. She has served as a qualitative evaluator on National Science Foundation (NSF) grants, collaborated with expert teams evaluating alternative education programs, and led workshops for educators and students on data-informed strategic decision-making.
Her work often integrates traditional qualitative approaches with emerging methods, such as collaborative photovoice and arts-based visual techniques, to foster deeper cultural understanding and impactful outcomes. Dr. Swaminathan has trained researchers in multimodal data analysis using contextual and theoretical coding, as well as domain analysis. She has co-authored seven books on qualitative research, including two award-winning titles—Collaborative Qualitative Research and Arts-Based Research—recognized by AESA, AERA, and ICQI. The latter was recently translated into Spanish. She currently serves as a Professor in the Department of Educational Policy & Community Studies in the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she has also served as Director of Doctoral Studies and Department Chair and is a recipient of both the Faculty Teaching and Faculty Research Awards.
