Curriculum Vitae
DONNA M. MERTENS, Ph.D.
I. EDUCATION
Ph.D. 1977 University of Kentucky Educational Psychology
M.S. 1973 University of Kentucky Educational Psychology
B.A. 1972 Thomas More College Psychology
II. EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
May 2014 to present. Independent Consultant and Professor Emeritus, Gallaudet University. Conducted transformative mixed methods workshops for African Evaluation Association, World Bank, UN Women and EvalPartners, American Evaluation Association, University of Halifax, Centers for Disease Control. Recently completed a book for the new Sage series on evaluation: Mixed Methods Design in Evaluation. Visiting Professor, Department of Psychology, Universidad del Valle, Guatemala City (2016). Fulbright Specialist, University of Santiago, Chile (2016), Visiting Professor, Flinders University, Australia. Research Fellow, Center for Decentralization and Participatory Development Research (CPDP) / (Pusat Studi Desentralisasi dan Pembangunan Partisipatif), Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia
August 1983 to May 2014. Gallaudet University, Department of Education. Assistant Professor (1983). Associate Professor (1987 to 1993). Full Professor (1993 to 2014). Professor Emeritus (2015 to present). TEACHING RESPONSIBILITIES: Research methods & program evaluation. Students: deaf and hearing, M.A., and Ph.D. levels in international development, education, administration, psychology, and linguistics. RESEARCH: Methodological issues related to the furtherance of social justice. EVALUATION: Preparing Deaf and Minority Teachers to Teach Deaf Children with Disabilities (U.S. Dept. of Ed.), Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers for Technology Crossing Realities Divide (US Dept. of Ed.); Internationalizing Deaf Education (FIPSE); Access to Court Systems by Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons (W.K. Kellogg); Improving Education for Students with Disabilities in Egypt (USAID). President: American Evaluation Association (1998); Board member 1997-2002. Editor Journal of Mixed Methods Research (2009-2014). INTERNATIONAL WORK: conduct or consult on evaluations or to improve the capacity of organizations to conduct evaluations that relate to issues of human rights in Costa Rica, New Zealand, Australia, India, Egypt, Italy, Sri Lanka, England, South Africa, Ghana, Botswana, Brazil, Ireland, Nepal, Qatar, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Syria, and Kazakhstan.
June 1983 to August 1983. Consultant to the Evaluation Division, Xerox International Center for Training
September 1979 to June 1983. Research Specialist for the National Center for Research in Vocational Education, Ohio State University
October 1975 to August 1979. Coordinator of Evaluation for the Appalachian Community Service Network.
July 1973 to June 1975. Haggin Memorial Fellowship recipient and Coordinator of Research and Evaluation, Section for Educational Resources, University of Kentucky, College of Medicine.
III. SAMPLE PUBLICATIONS: Journal Articles, Chapters in Books, Books
Mertens D.M. (in press). Transformative evaluation for equitable and inclusive public policy. In Frédéric Varone, Steve Jacob and Pirmin Bundi (Eds.) Handbook of Public Policy Evaluation.
Mertens, D.M. (in press). Mixed Methods Research. London: Bloomsbury Press.
Olavarria, C. & Mertens, D.M. (2022). Challenging democracy, human rights, and governance evaluation capacity development through a transformative lens. New Directions in Evaluation.
Mertens, D.M. (2022). Mixed methods integration for transformative purposes. In J.H. Hitchcock & T. Onwuegbuzie (Eds.) pp. 71-85. Routledge Handbook for Advancing Integration in Mixed Methods Research. NY, NY: Routledge.
Mertens, D.M. & Moss, T. (2022). Transformative evaluation for just and sustainable social change. In F3E (ed.), Inclusion for transformation (pp. 179-193). Paris: F3E.
Mertens, D.M. (2022). Designing qualitative and mixed methods evaluations for transformative impact. In U. Flick (Ed.), The Sage handbook of qualitative research design, (pp. 1196-1214). London: Sage.
Mertens, D.M. (2022). Designing Mixed Methods Studies to Contribute to Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice: Implications for Library and Information Sciences." In P. Ngulube (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Mixed Methods Research in Information Science (pp. 173-189). IGI Global. http://doi:10.4018/978-1-7998-8844-4.ch009
Mertens, D.M. & Catsambas, T.T. (2022), Ethical practice through a transformative lens and methodological implications in evaluation. In R.D. van den Berg, P. Hawkins, & N. Stame, (Eds.), Ethics for evaluation: Beyond “doing no harm” to “tackling bad” and “doing good”. London: Routledge.
Mertens, D.M. (2021). Transformative research methods to increase social impact for vulnerable groups and cultural minorities. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 20, 1-9. DOI: 10.1177/16094069211051563
Harris, R. & Mertens, D.M. (2021). Research methods with Deaf people in the justice system. (pp. 40-59). In D. Guthmann, G. I. Lomas, D.G. Paris, & G. A. “Tony” Martin (Eds.) Deaf People in the Criminal Justice System: Selected Topics on Advocacy, Incarceration, and Social Justice. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
Chilisa, B. & Mertens, D.M. (2021). Indigenous Made in Africa evaluation frameworks: Addressing epistemic violence and contributing to social transformation. American Journal of Evaluation, 42(2): 241-253 DOI: 10.1177/1098214020948601
Bolinson, C. & Mertens, D.M. (2021). Transformative evaluation and impact investing: A fruitful marriage. In R.P. Herman & E. de Morais Sarmento (Eds.). Global handbook of impact investing (pp. 697-734). Wiley.
Mertens, D.M. (2020). Transformation as a goal of mixed methods research in the Caribbean, Caribbean Journal of Mixed Methods Research 1(1), 16-28.
Mertens, D.M. (2020). Research and evaluation in education & psychology: Integrating diversity with quantitative, qualitative, & mixed methods. (5th ed.) Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Harris, R., MacGlaughlin, H., Mertens, D. & Perez, J. (2020). Research Ethics for Sign Language Communities [ASL Translation]. Deaf Studies Digital Journal, Issue 6.
Mertens, D.M. & Wilson, A.T. (2019). Program evaluation theory and practice: A comprehensive approach. 2nd ed. NY: Guilford.
Mertens, D.M., & Kakai, H. (2019). Transformative mixed methods research for bringing positive social changes: A graduate seminar report (Project). Aoyama Journal of International Studies, 6, 1-19.
Widianingsih I. & Mertens D.M. (2019). Transformative research and the sustainable development goals: challenges and a vision from Bandung West Java. International Journal of Transformative Research 6(1) 27-35.
Mertens, D.M. (2018). Mixed methods design in evaluation. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Mertens, D.M. (2018). Transformative mixed methods and policy evaluation. Diritto & Questioni Pubbliche, 18(1), 247-264.
Mertens, D.M., Cram, F., & Chilisa, B. (2013). (Eds.) Indigenous pathways into social research. Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast Press.
Mertens, D.M., Olavarria, C. & Peroni, A. (2018). Transformative mixed methods: training for the next generation of researchers and evaluators in southern countries. International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches, 10(0), 1-13.
Mertens, D.M. (2017). Transformative research: personal and societal. International Journal of Transformative Research, 4(1), 18-24.
Mertens, D.M., Bazeley, P., Bowleg, L., Fielding, N., Maxwell, J., Molina-Azorin, J.F., & Niglas, K. (2016). Expanding thinking through a kaleidoscopic look into the future: Implications of the Mixed Methods International Research Association’s Task Force Report on the Future of Mixed Methods. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 10(3) 221–227.
Mertens, D.M. (2016). Assumptions at the philosophical and programmatic levels in evaluation, Evaluation and Program Planning, 59, 102-108. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2016.05.010
Mertens, D.M. (2016). Advancing social change in South Africa through transformative research. South African Review of Sociology, 47(1), 5-17.
Cram, F. & Mertens, D.M. (2016). Negotiating solidarity between Indigenous and transformative paradigms in evaluation. Evaluation Matters-He Take To Te Arromatawai, 2, 161-189.
Mertens, D.M. & Cram, F. (2016). Integration tensions and possibilities: Indigenous research and social transformation. International Review of Qualitative Research, 9(2), 185-191.
Symonette, H., Mertens, D.M. & Hopson, R. (2014). The development of a diversity initiative: Framework for the Graduate Education Diversity Internship Program. In P.M. Collins & R. Hopson (Eds.), Building a New Generation of Culturally Responsive Evaluators through AEA’s Graduate Education Diversity Internship Program, New Directions in Evaluation, 143, 9-22.
Mertens, D. M., Sullivan, M. & Stace, H. (2011) Disability Communities: Transformative research for social justice. In N. Denzin & Y.S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of Qualitative Research, 4th ed. Pp. 227-242. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
I have written or edited 20 books on research and evaluation; and written 60 chapters in edited books; 10 encyclopedia entries; 57 refereed journal articles; and over 80 technical reports, and made over 500 presentations at professional meetings, nationally and internationally.
IV. Sample Presentations
Mertens, D.M. (2019). Intersectionality by design: Addressing multiple forms of discrimination and oppression, or not. 5th International Conference on Culturally Responsive Evaluation and Assessment, Chicago, IL.
Mertens, D.M. (2018). Mixed methods contribution to social, economic, and environmental justice. Keynote address: National Centre for Research Methods Research Methods Festival, Bath England.
Mertens, D.M. (2017). Mixed methods design in evaluations of the SDGs in Africa and the integration of gender equality and social equity dimensions. Invited presentation, African Evaluation Association, Uganda.
Mertens, D.M. The future of mixed methods research: Projection to 2020. Invited presentation, Mixed Methods International Research Association, Durham, England.
Mertens, D.M. (2015). Transformative mixed methods resilience research. Invited plenary address, Pathways to resilience III Conference. Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, June 2015.
Mertens, D.M. (2015). Social justice amidst standards and accountability. Keynote address at the Minnesota Evaluation Studies Institute, Minneapolis, MN, March 2015.
Mertens, D.M. (2014). Evaluation: Context, theory of change, and design. Presentation for the Kyrgyzstan Evaluation Network, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, December 2014.
Mertens, D.M. (2014). Indigenous pathways in social research, addressing inequities. International Sociological Association World Congress, Yokohama, Japan, July 2014.
Mertens, D.M. (2014). Transformative mixed methods mixed with resilience theory. Mixed Methods International Research Association annual meeting, Boston MA, Invited panel, June 2014.
Mertens, D.M. (2014). Eval 101. Invited presentation, American Evaluation Association annual conference, Denver, CO, October.
Mertens, D.M. (2014). Evolution of research on symbiosis in the Journal of Mixed Methods Research. Invited presentation, Anniversary conference for the College of Human Ecology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea, October, 2014. Mertens, D.M. (2012). Social Justice Theorists Grow Stronger Every Day. Presentation: Annual meeting of the American Evaluation Association, Minneapolis, MN, October.
Mertens, D.M. (2012). Evaluation theory branches or currents. Invited Presentation: Annual meeting of the American Evaluation Association, Minneapolis, MN, October.
Mertens, D.M. (2012). Transformative research with the disability community. Peer reviewed presentation at the Rehabilitation International 5th Arab Region Conference, Doha Qatar, September 25-27, 2012.
Mertens, D.M. (2012). Philosophical, theoretical, and methodological stances in program evaluation. Presentation at the Teaching Evaluation in South Asia meeting, Colombo, Sri Lanka, August 7-9, 2012.
Mertens, D.M. (2012). Plenary Address: Mixed methods research in the service of social justice. American Psychological Association annual conference, Orlando FL, August 2012.
Mertens, D.M. (2012). Evaluation paradigms, theories, and approaches. Invited presentation at the Teaching Evaluation in South Asia conference, August 7, 2012, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Mertens, D.M. (2012). Ethics and designing educational research. Invited presentation at the University College, Cork, Ireland, July 2, 2012.
Mertens, D.M. (2012). Contributions of indigenous researchers to quality in research. Presentation at the International Sociological Association's RC33: Logic and Methodology conference, July 10, 2012, Sydney, Australia.
Invited Keynote: Bringing a Social Justice Lens to Credible Evidence in Program Evaluation. Australasian Evaluation Society’s annual meeting, Wellington, NZ, September 2010.
Invited Presentation: Pedagogical engagement with mixed methods research: Dialoguing around issues in the theory and praxis of mixed methods. Mixed Methods International Conference, Baltimore, MD, July 2010.
Invited Presentation: Mixed Methods Evaluations in the Latino Community. University of Notre Dame's Inter-University Program for Latino Research Conference on Reducing Obesity in Latino Communities, July 2010.
Invited Presentation: Transformative mixed methods evaluation in medical and health studies. Jointly sponsored evaluation conference: American Evaluation Association & Centers for Disease Control Evaluation Conference, Atlanta Georgia. June, 2010.
Invited Presentation: Qualitative research and social transformation in/with the disability community. (with K. Munger). International Congress of Qualitative Research. Champaign-Urbana, IL, May 2010.
Invited Presentation: An umbrella that covers international and domestic culturally complex context. Annual meeting of the American Evaluation Association, Orlando, FL, November 2009.
Invited Presentation: Evaluation theories grounded in social justice: Transformative Theory. Annual meeting of the American Evaluation Association, Orlando, FL, November 2009.
Invited Presentation: Transformative Mixed Methods in Psychological Research. American Psychological Association, Toronto August 2009.
Invited presentation: Transformative Mixed Methods: Ethics and Quality. Fifth Annual Mixed Methods Conference, Harrogate Conference Centre in North Yorkshire, UK, July 2009.
Invited Presentation: Transformative Research and Evaluation: Mixed Methods. North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa, July 2009.
Invited Presentation: Transformative Mixed Methods: Theory and Praxis. International Congress of Qualitative Research. Champaign-Urbana, IL, May 2009.
Invited Presentation: Transformative Mixed Methods in African Evaluations. African Evaluation Association annual conference, Cairo Egypt, March 2009.
Invited Presentation: Theoretical Frameworks for Social Justice in Evaluation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, School of Public Health, March 2009.
Invited Presentation: Social justice issues in evaluation. Meeting of the American Evaluation Association/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Fellows, Pittsburgh, February 2009.
Invited Presentation: Ethics and Evaluation Grounded in Social Justice. Washington Evaluators, Washington DC, February 2009.
Invited Presentation: Social Transformation and Research Ethics. International Sociological Association Research Committee 33: Logic and Methodology biannual conference. Naples Italy. September 2008.
Invited Keynote: Evaluations That Make a Difference: Transformative Frameworks. Canadian Evaluation Society. Ontario Chapter annual conference, Toronto, October 2008.
Invited Presentation: Program Evaluation Ethics from a Transformative Stance. Annual meeting of the American Evaluation Association, November 2008, Denver, Colorado.
Submitted session: Transformative Approaches in Teacher Preparation Research: Ethical Implications American Educational Research Association annual meeting, San Diego, CA, April 10, 2009.
Invited Presentation: Transformative Mixed Methods: Theory and Praxis. International Congress of Qualitative Research. Champaign-Urbana, IL, May 2009.
Invited presentation: Transformative Mixed Methods: Ethics and Quality. Annual Mixed Methods Conference, Harrogate Conference Centre in North Yorkshire, UK, July 2009.
Invited Presentation: Transformative Research and Evaluation: Mixed Methods. North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa, July 2009.
Invited Presentation: Transformative Mixed Methods in Psychological Research. American Psychological Association, Toronto August 2009.
Invited Keynote: Mixed Methods Research in Culturally Complex Settings: Tools for Transformative Work. Israeli Evaluation Association conference, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, January 2007.
Invited Presentation in the strand: Making Evaluation our Own: Strengthening the foundations for Africa-rooted and Africa-led monitoring and evaluation. The African mosaic and global interactions: The multiple roles of, and approaches to, monitoring and evaluation. January 18, 2007, African Evaluation Association Conference, Niamey, Niger, Africa
Invited Keynote: Engaging Diverse Communities: Transformative Research and Evaluation in Museums, Zoos, and Historical Sites. Visitor’s Studies Association annual meeting, July 2007, Ottawa, Canada.
Transformation of the Preparation of Teachers of the Deaf through Technology (Mertens, D M., Ginsberg, P., & Bledsoe, K.) ACEDHH. Pittsburgh, February 2007.
Invited session: Beyond the IRB: Case-Based Research Ethics. American Educational Research Association annual meeting, Chicago, IL, April 10, 2007.
Invited Keynote: Evaluation in Pursuit of Social Justice: Engaging Diverse Communities. Canadian Evaluation Society annual conference. Winnipeg, Manitoba, June 2007.
Presidential Strand: Transformative Evaluation in Service of Social Justice (with Heidi Holmes & Raychelle Harris). Annual meeting of the American Evaluation Association, November 2007, Baltimore, MD.
Invited symposium: The Contours of Inclusion: Arts Learning Outcomes and Evaluation Strategies. VSA Arts Symposium. November 2007, Baltimore MD.
Invited presentation: Transformative Mixed Methods. Third Annual Mixed Methods Conference, Homerton School of Health Studies, Cambridge University, UK, July 2007.
I have written or edited 18 books on research and evaluation; and written 54 chapters in edited books; 10 encyclopedia entries; 46 refereed journal articles; and over 80 technical reports, and made over 400 presentations at professional meetings, nationally and internationally.