Gordon Harold

Professor Harold is the inaugural Professor of the Psychology of Education and Mental Health at the University of Cambridge and a Visiting Full Professor in the School of Medicine at University College Dublin. Gordon’s primary research interests focus on examining the role of domestic experiences and social adversities as factors underlying differences in children’s mental health and development, utilising innovative research designs to improve our understanding of the interplay between biological, social and psychological factors underpinning differences in child-adolescent mental health and development, and promoting the development and implementation of evidence-informed practice and policy guidelines aimed at enhancing mental health outcomes and positive life chances for children and young people.

Gordon is the Director of the Andrew and Virginia Rudd Research and Professional Practice Centre and is a member of the Bennett School of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge. Originally from Dublin, Gordon has previously held appointments as the Andrew and Virginia Rudd Chair and Professor of Psychology at the University of Sussex, the Alexander McMillan Chair and Professor of Childhood Studies at the University of Otago (NZ) and Professor of Developmental Psychopathology at Cardiff University. He is an advisor to multiple UK and international government departments and scientific advisory groups that address areas of current substantive societal significance and public engagement relevance (e.g., mental health, AI and public service delivery, family policy). He is a passionate advocate and active proponent in taking research beyond the domain of academia to implementing and delivering research-driven innovation to improve real-world outcomes for vulnerable individuals and groups across society.