Professor of Educational Research · Delaware State University

Chetanath Gautam, Ed.D.

I study teacher professional identity, P–20 leadership, and the intersections of policy, practice, and equity in education. My work spans qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research across national and international contexts.

Teacher Identity Mixed Methods Educational Leadership Equity & Justice P–20 Research Identity Theory
View My Research Download CV
Chetanath Gautam, Ed.D.

About

Researcher. Educator.
Scholar-practitioner.

I am a Professor in the Department of Education at Delaware State University, where I teach and advise doctoral students in Educational Research, Educational Leadership, and related fields at the Ed.D. and M.Ed. levels.

My scholarly work centers on teacher professional identity development — how educators come to understand themselves as teachers across career stages, amid shifting policy landscapes, and within diverse institutional contexts. I draw on identity theories, critical and transformative frameworks, narrative and discursive perspectives, and cultural-historical approaches to examine these processes.

I am also deeply invested in educational leadership, equity, and critical theory — questions of who gets to lead, how institutions shape identity, and what transformative scholarship looks like in practice.

Get in touch →

Theoretical Orientations

  • Identity Theories
  • Critical and Transformative Theories
  • Place-based and Indigenous Knowledge
  • Narrative & Discursive Perspectives
  • Cultural and Historical Perspectives
  • Equity and Justice

Methodological Expertise

  • Mixed Methods (convergent parallel & sequential)
  • Qualitative — narrative, life-history, ethnography
  • Quantitative — SPSS, regression, ANCOVA, chi-square
  • Action Research & Improvement Science
  • NVivo / ATLAS.ti thematic coding

Research & Publications

Peer-reviewed scholarship
across contexts and methods

◆

Teacher Professional Identity

Development across career stages, identity work mechanisms, critical incidents, and resilience

◆

Educational Leadership & Policy

Principal preparation, superintendent leadership, critical theory, and crisis management

◆

Equity & Justice in Education

Abolitionist leadership, anti-racist practice, political literacy, and civic professionalism

◆

First-Generation & Rural Students

Transition theory, financial and social adjustment, campus culture shock

Selected Publications

2025

Gautam, C. N. (2025). Critical race theory and superintendent leadership: Navigating equity in practice. Educational Administration Quarterly.

CRTLeadershipEquity
2025

Gautam, C. N. (2025). Transnational higher education and identity. In Education in Nepal and the Global South. Edward Elgar.

ChapterTransnational
2024

Gautam, C. N. (2024). School principals' roles and leadership practices during COVID-19: A mixed method study. International Journal of Educational Leadership Preparation.

Mixed MethodsCOVID-19Principals
2024

Gautam, C. N. (2024). Political literacy and educational leadership. International Journal of Educational Leadership Preparation.

Political LiteracyLeadership
2023

Gautam, C. N. (Ed.). (2023). Educational leadership and critical theory. Bloomsbury.

Edited VolumeCritical Theory
2023

Gautam, C. N. (2023). Chapter contribution. In [Volume Title]. Routledge.

ChapterRoutledge
2023

Gautam, C. N. (2023). Opioids and community impact. Journal of Rural Issues.

RuralCommunity
2021

Gautam, C. N. (2021). Chapter contribution. In [Volume Title]. IAP.

Chapter
2020

Gautam, C. N. (2020). Token economy and student engagement. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.

SoTLPedagogy

* Titles marked with [brackets] require your input — please update with the actual chapter/volume title before publishing.

Teaching

Building scholars who
think, question, and lead

I teach at the doctoral level, emphasizing equity, critical inquiry, and methodological rigor. My courses blend theory with practice, preparing educational leaders and researchers for meaningful impact.

EDUC 625

Introduction to Research in Education

Foundational survey of educational research paradigms, designs, and methods. Students develop research literacy and begin framing their own scholarly inquiries.

EDUC 802

Leadership Theories

Examination of classical and contemporary leadership theories and their application to educational settings. Emphasis on adaptive, transformational, and equity-centered leadership frameworks.

EDUC 805

Foundations of Educational Research

Ontology, epistemology, axiology, and paradigm selection for doctoral scholars. Research design from concept to proposal.

EDUC 833

Applied Assessment in Educational Research

Mixed methods emphasis with SPSS, NVivo, and ATLAS.ti. Survey design, thematic coding, and integration strategies.

EDUC 835

Advanced Research Methods and Technology

Capstone methods sequence. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches for dissertation-level inquiry, with integration of research technologies and digital tools.

Doctoral Advising

I have advised over 20 Ed.D. dissertations, mentoring candidates from proposal through defense. My advising philosophy centers on developing scholar-practitioners who pursue equity-driven, rigorous, and contextually grounded research.

I specialize in supporting candidates working with mixed methods, action research, and educational leadership topics. I am currently accepting advisees in areas aligned with my research interests.

Inquire about advising →
20+ Ed.D. Dissertations Advised
5 Courses Taught
DSU Delaware State University

Curriculum Vitae

A record of scholarship,
service, and teaching

My CV documents publications, grants, presentations, editorial service, and academic appointments spanning more than two decades of work in educational research and leadership.

Promoted to Professor, 2025
Cornell University — Statistical Foundations Certificate, 2023
Spencer Foundation Vision Grant submission, 2024
AERA presenter — 3 peer-reviewed papers, 2026
Journal editorial & peer review service
Download Full CV (PDF)

* Replace cv.pdf in the folder with your actual CV file.

2025–present

Professor

Department of Education, Delaware State University

Prior

Associate Professor

Department of Education, Delaware State University

Research

RAISE Center

Co-founder, Research, Advocacy, and Initiatives for Student Equity (RAISE)

U-RESEARCH Lab — Urban/rural equity and global policy analysis, operating under RAISE

Editorial

Journal Service

Peer reviewer and editorial board member, multiple journals including IJELP

Co-editor, Journal of Transformative Education Research, Initiatives, and Practices (JTERIP)

Blog & Writing

Thinking aloud about
education, policy & practice

Here I share shorter reflections — on teaching, research, leadership, and the intersections of scholarship and the world. Updated periodically.

Identity & Teaching

What does it mean to become a teacher?

Reflections on identity formation, critical incidents, and the ongoing work of making meaning from professional experience.

Read more → Coming soon
Research Methods

Why mixed methods matter for equity research

A brief case for convergent parallel designs in social justice scholarship.

Read more → Coming soon
Leadership

Political literacy as a leadership competency

Civic professionalism, policy awareness, and what schools need from their leaders.

Read more → Coming soon

* Replace placeholder titles and links with your actual posts as you publish them.

Media

Presentations, talks,
and public scholarship

▶
Conference Presentation

AERA 2026 — Three Peer-Reviewed Papers

April 7–12, 2026 · Philadelphia, PA. Presenting peer-reviewed research across education and identity themes.

▶
International Exchange

Kathmandu University School of Education

Presented on DSU teaching, research, and service practices. Explored joint grant collaborations with KUSOED and U.S. partners.

▶
Workshop

Doctoral Writing & Research Methods Workshops

APA 7th edition, Chapter IV structure, mixed methods data analysis, and ontology/epistemology/axiology workshops for doctoral candidates.

+
Add Your Content

Videos, Interviews & Press

Add links to recorded talks, podcast appearances, news features, or keynote presentations here.

Contact

Let's connect and
collaborate

I welcome inquiries about research collaboration, doctoral advising, speaking invitations, editorial partnerships, and general correspondence.

Institution Delaware State University
Department of Education
Dover, Delaware
Email cgautam@desu.edu