Professor Bianca Bersani has been awarded the Behavioral and Social Sciences 2026 Excellence in Research Award.  

Since 2021, Dr. Bersani is the Director of the Maryland Crime Research and Innovation Center (MCRIC). The Center offers academic expertise, conducts research, integrates data, builds partnerships between government, academia, and industry, and develops and evaluates innovative criminal justice strategies aimed at preventing and reducing crime.  Dr. Bersani has led productive research partnerships with local and state agencies, non-profit organizations, and practitioners throughout Maryland, which have led to applied research projects benefiting both the state and local communities

Dr. Bersani has published her work in top leading journals, including Criminology, Justice Quarterly, Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, and The Annual Review of Criminology.  In addition to her scholarly work, Dr. Bersani currently serves as the Chair of the Division of Developmental and Life Course Criminology with the American Society of Criminology, where she coordinates panels and events for the annual conference and helps connect emerging scholars with valuable networking opportunities.

Dr. Bersani will be formally recognized on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at 3:00 pm in the Grand Ballroom of the Stamp Student Union.