Michael D. Rich Distinguished Chair for Countering Truth Decay; Senior Political Scientist
He/Him
Ray Block Jr. (he/him) is the inaugural Michael D. Rich Distinguished Chair for Countering Truth Decay, and a senior political scientist at RAND. The chair was established in honor of Rich, RAND's former president and CEO, who initiated RAND's Truth Decay work and made it an integral part of RAND's mission. Block will advance the Truth Decay agenda, develop new research streams, and expand the impact and reach of this research.
Block is also the Laurence and Lynn Brown-McCourtney Endowed Career Professor at Penn State University’s McCourtney Institute for Democracy. He holds associate professorships in Penn State's the Political Science and African American Studies departments.
His research focuses on racial, ethnic, and gender group politics, voting behavior, and public opinion in the United States. He is especially interested in how non-dominant demographic groups (e.g., women, racial and ethnic minorities) translate their policy preferences and psychological attachments into political action and with what consequences. Block has extensive experience teaching both substantive and methodological courses and has received several teaching nominations and awards. He is also passionate about civic involvement and has engaged in multiple departmental, disciplinary, and public-facing programs that promote a more equitable and inclusive environment for underrepresented groups.
Block holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in political science from the Ohio State University, and B.A. degrees in philosophy and political science from Howard University.
Ph.D. in political science, Ohio State University; B.A. in philosophy, Howard University; B.A. in political science, Howard University
