James L. Gould

Who is James L. Gould?

James L. Gould is an American ethologist, evolutionary biologist, and popular science writer. He has served as a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Princeton University since receiving his Ph.D in 1975. However, he is primarily known for the experiment he designed while an undergraduate at Caltech which proved that bees use complex dances to communicate the location of food. In addition to several technical works and textbooks, he co-wrote with his wife the popular science book The Honey Bee.

Gould went on to do work that further specialized in communication in Southern Right Whales. He also published studies that made serious contributions to the ethological understanding of animal navigation and sexual selection.

During his long lasting career at Princeton, Gould has been dedicated to teaching as well as research. Notably, he has been teaching introductory biology and animal behavior courses for several decades. He has also taught field courses in marine biology. His dedication and enthusiasm for teaching have made his courses very popular.