Renowned Pollster Clifford Young Joins Bush School As Visiting Political Science Professor
Ipsos executive brings three decades of experience to Texas A&M, advancing research and teaching in political behavior, public opinion and strategic forecasting.
Clifford Young, a globally recognized expert in measuring and analyzing public opinion, will join Texas A&M University’s Bush School of Government and Public Service for the upcoming academic year, teaching classes and conducting research that will draw on his three decades of experience.
Young has helped numerous decision-makers navigate an uncertain world with his expertise in polling, public opinion and strategic foresight. He is now president of polling and societal trends at Ipsos. He is best known for building the company’s United States public affairs business and establishing Ipsos as a trusted brand in public opinion research. He has conducted thousands of polls on politics, strategic communications, elections, reputation management and social trends — and has pioneered new approaches to using data as a tool for anticipating societal shifts before they fully form.
Young also oversees Ipsos’ major media partnerships with ABC News, Axios, NPR, USA Today and The Washington Post. In addition, he is a frequent analyst on Bloomberg News, CNN, Fox News and C-SPAN, offering insight on political dynamics, institutional trust and voter behavior in the U.S. and globally.
At the Bush School, Young, a visiting professor, will teach courses on political behavior, public opinion and forecasting — drawing on his deep experience and recent book, “Polls, Pollsters, and Public Opinion: A Guide for Decision-Makers” (Cambridge University Press). His forthcoming work, “Nativist Nation: Populism, Grievance, Identity, and the Transformation of American Politics” (De Gruyter, September 2025), explores how identity-based grievance is reshaping politics in the United States and abroad.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Clifford Young to the Bush School,” said Guy D. Whitten, head of the Department of Political Science. “He brings a unique combination of academic credentials and real-world experiences as a major player in the strategic use of public opinion data. This will make him an invaluable addition to our team as both a teacher and a researcher. The Bush School has a long tradition of employing practitioners as well as more traditional academics as faculty and Cliff is the perfect person to be the first such faculty member for Political Science.”
John B. Sherman, dean of the Bush School, said of the hire: “Having someone of Dr. Young’s expertise adds to the world-class research and instruction that is the hallmark of our Political Science department. Enriching our understanding of polling and public opinion is more important than ever, and we’re honored to have a seasoned, recognized practitioner like Dr. Young as part of our team.”
Young’s appointment marks a major step in expanding the Bush School’s focus on the role of public opinion in democratic resilience, and on preparing future leaders to interpret — and anticipate — emerging societal trends.
