Jon Gould, dean of the School of Social Ecology. Photo by Steve Zylius
Orange County Register names Jon Gould to its Most Influential listing
Jon Gould, dean of UCI’s School of Social Ecology, has been named one of Orange County’s 125 Most Influential people of 2023 by The Orange County Register.
“This was a total surprise,” Gould said. “I feel honored to be listed alongside so many long-time leaders in Orange County who I admire so much. My inclusion is truly a reflection of what our faculty, staff and students are doing collectively in the School of Social Ecology to help address the challenges facing Orange County and California and improve the quality of life for all of us.”
The newspaper wrote about the dean:
Gould was named head of UC Irvine’s school of social ecology about a year ago. Since then, he’s overseen the first big public opinion survey of the county in years, and he’s working to turn UCI into a hub for getting stuff done.
Gould launched the UCI-OC Poll earlier this year to provide reliable survey data on the issues confronting Orange County residents. The poll brings business leaders together with elected officials and community members to discuss workable responses to problems, such as housing, education, business climate, sustainability, transportation, crime or other challenges. The first poll focused on the county's homelessness and housing issues.
Gould is a distinguished scholar in justice policy, social change and government reform who has held key positions in the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Science Foundation. He became dean of UC Irvine's School of Social Ecology on Jan. 1, 2022. He leads the nation’s first and only School of Social Ecology, which was established in 1970 in response to high demand for more socially relevant research.
In addition to Gould, The Register also named two School of Social Ecology alumni to the list: Jennifer Friend (’95 B.A. social ecology) and Kelsey Morgan (’23 Ph.D. social ecology).