RANDALL F. CLEMENS, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor and Department Chairperson in the Department of Education Leadership, Management and Policy (ELMP) in the College of Human Development, Culture, and Media at Seton Hall University. 

His research—incorporating perspectives from sociology and public policy—pertains to three interrelated themes: First, he focuses on how growing up in low-income neighborhoods influences education equity, access, and readiness for minoritized students. Based on work in South Los Angeles and New York City, he has presented papers and published articles.

Second, Clemens explores the role of qualitative research to improve public policy. He published, (w/ W.G. Tierney), "Qualitative Research and Public Policy: The Challenges of Relevance and Trustworthiness." The two authors presented the findings of a follow-up article—“The Utility of Qualitative Research to Inform Public Policy”—at the Annual Conference of the Association for the Study of Higher Education. Most recently, with Yvonna Lincoln, he edited a special issue in Cultural Studies <=> Critical Methodologies. The papers examine the role of and issues with ethnography as public scholarship. In relation, he served as an Emerging Education Policy Scholar at Thomas B. Fordham Institute and American Enterprise Institute; the program engages promising young scholars in order to maximize the impact of their research among multiple policy audiences.

And third, Clemens investigates innovative methods to design, conduct, and share qualitative research. To this end, he has published widely.

Clemens teaches graduate courses related to administrative leadership, qualitative research, cultural relevance, and the sociology of education.

He engages in service activities at the department, school, professional, and community levels. He has, for instance, advised over fifty graduate students, served as chair or committee member for approximately forty doctoral dissertations, and served on or chaired approximately fifteen departmental and school committees. At the professional level, he has served as a reviewer for journals and conferences. Notably, along with then AERA President-elect William Tierney, he created and curated a blog, 21stcenturyscholar. Promoting public scholarship, the scholars invited respected academics to discuss pressing issues related to education. He contributed content for seven years. Committed to service for and with communities, he mentored high school students to help improve access to and preparedness for postsecondary education. In coordination with a community-based organization, he created and directed a summer bridge program in Brooklyn to improve college access, readiness, and success for low-income teenagers.

Clemens received his Ph.D. in Urban Education Policy from University of Southern California, MSEd in School Administration and Supervision from Johns Hopkins University, and B.A. in English Literature from University of Maryland at College Park. While at the USC Rossier School of Education, he worked as a doctoral fellow at the Pullias Center for Higher Education, where he later served as a research affiliate for six years. Before becoming a researcher, he served as a high school English teacher in Prince George’s County Public Schools.