Amanda K. Thomas

Amanda K. Thomas (Ph.D.) is a theoretical and applied research methodologist with expertise in qualitative, quantitative, mixed and evaluation approaches to interdisciplinary research. She currently serves as an Assistant Research Professor in the Office of Research and Innovation at the University of the Southern Caribbean in Trinidad and Tobago. She is the recipient of several institutional research awards for her publications, presentations and collaborative research projects, one of which most recently is the American Education Research Association (AERA) 2024 Review of Research Award. Dr. Thomas has extensive experience as a researcher, curator and analyst of visual, textual and numeric data and an excellent track record in mentoring, teaching and training undergraduate and graduate students, community and industry partners to maximize the benefits of culturally relevant research using personal narratives, predictive analytics and evidence informed practices.

Keynote Title: Creative agency, algorithms and AI ascendance in qualitative research. Supportive co-existence or growing divide?

For my presentation I will provide an in-depth and engaging exploration of the main questions and issues on whether a supportive co-existence or growing divide is developing between researchers’ creative agency, algorithms and AI in qualitative research. First, I will discuss the key concepts connected to creativity and how each are enacted during the qualitative research process. Next I will explore the growing influence of several algorithm and AI applications in the field. Finally, I will discuss some connections between all three areas and my collaborative research; to identify areas of convergence and support, contradictions and tensions, opportunities and hope; to meet this current moment, while inferring and re-imagining future steps for the global research community.