Sonali Rajan

Dr. Sonali Rajan is Professor of Health Promotion and Education in the Department of Health Studies & Applied Educational Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University, with a secondary faculty appointment in the Department of Epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health. She serves as Senior Associate Director of Research at the Edmund W. Gordon Institute for Urban and Minority Education (IUME), Co-Director of the CDC-funded Columbia Center for Injury Science and Prevention, and Inaugural President of the Research Society for Firearm-Related Harms. Dr. Rajan currently co-produces the 'Re(Search) for Solutions' podcast focused on evidence-based approaches to gun violence.

Her educational background includes:

• Post-Doctoral Training in Behavioral Sciences - National Development and Research Institutes (2010-2012)
• Doctor of Education in Health and Behavior Studies - Teachers College, Columbia University (2010)
• Master of Science in Applied Statistics - Teachers College, Columbia University (2011)
• Bachelor of Science in Biological and Environmental Engineering - Cornell University (2005)

As a leading school violence prevention expert, Dr. Rajan's research focuses on gun violence, school safety, and adverse childhood experiences, specifically addressing how to create healthy learning environments amid America's firearm violence crisis. Her work integrates public health, education, and policy perspectives to develop comprehensive solutions, examining youth exposure to violence, racial disparities, and evidence-informed prevention frameworks.

Dr. Rajan's recent publications demonstrate a strong interdisciplinary focus spanning public health, education, epidemiology, and criminology. Her research shows increasing attention to policy implications of gun violence, particularly regarding school environments, youth wellbeing, and racial disparities. She actively mentors numerous graduate students, with many publications featuring student co-authors from Teachers College and the Mailman School.

Her scientific recognition includes TC's Strage Junior Faculty Prize for Research on Gun Violence. Major funding supports her work, including a $2 million NIH grant for gun violence research and CDC funding for the Columbia Center for Injury Science and Prevention.

Dr. Rajan serves on a National Academies committee studying the impacts of active shooter drills on children. She mentors numerous graduate students and maintains active collaborations across Columbia University. Her current sabbatical position as Senior Director of Research at Everytown Research and Policy extends her academic work into policy implementation.

Dr. Rajan maintains affiliations with multiple research centers including the Columbia Scientific Union for the Reduction of Gun Violence, Columbia Population Research Center, Trauma-Free NYC, and the Digital Futures Institute, enabling her comprehensive approach to addressing gun violence through research, policy, and community engagement.