Simon joined the University of Nevada sociology department in 1992 after earning a Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara, an M.A. from the University of Houston, and a B.A. from the University of Haifa (Israel). Combining critical symbolic interaction theory and qualitative research methods, his interests revolve around understanding the society-psyche link in phenomena as varied as youth cultures, the mass media, mental disorders, terrorism, and interactions in virtual, urban, and natural spaces.