Maria K. E. Lahman

Maria K. E. Lahman is a Professor in the Department of Applied Statistics and Research Methods within the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Northern Colorado. She holds a Ph.D. in Child Development from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (2001) and serves as Co-Chair of the Institutional Research Board at UNC. Her academic work bridges qualitative methodology with ethical research practices and creative representation.

Dr. Lahman's research focuses on culturally responsive qualitative research, research ethics, early childhood education, and the aesthetic representation of research through poetry and other creative forms. Her scholarship addresses creating ethical solutions for culturally complex methodological situations, diversity issues, young children, mothering experiences, and qualitative writing representation. As a Mennonite, she integrates social justice and peacebuilding into her pedagogy and scholarship.

Her recent publications show a clear trajectory toward innovative research representation, with a particular emphasis on research poetry and culturally responsive methodologies. The 15 most recent articles reveal a consistent focus on ethical research practices, creative representation forms, and culturally responsive approaches to qualitative inquiry, with increasing attention to poetry as a legitimate research method and representation form.

• Outstanding Advisor Award, College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, UNC (2008-2009)
• Outstanding Scholar Award, College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, UNC (2007-2008)
• Service Provider Award, University of Northern CO (2006-2007)
• Outstanding Teacher Award, College of Education, UNC (2002-2003)

Dr. Lahman has advised numerous graduate students in qualitative methodology and has been recognized for her exceptional mentorship. Her research program has generated multiple textbooks including Ethics in Social Science Research: Becoming Culturally Responsive (2017) and Writing and Representing Qualitative Research (2021), which have become influential resources in the field. She maintains an active research agenda focused on advancing ethical research with diverse groups and developing innovative methods for representing qualitative findings.

Her work centers around creating spaces for culturally responsive research practices, with particular attention to vulnerable populations and ethical dilemmas in fieldwork. Dr. Lahman's scholarship challenges traditional research boundaries through her exploration of research poetry and other aesthetic forms of representation that maintain academic rigor while embracing creative expression.