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

Over the course of her distinguished career, Dr. Bersani has become a leading voice in developmental and life-course criminology. Her research has significantly advanced understanding of offending, desistance, immigration and crime, and the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Her work is characterized by theoretical depth, methodological rigor, and substantive originality, along with a strong ability to bridge foundational research with policy and practice.

Since 2021, Dr. Bersani has served as director of the Maryland Crime Research and Innovation Center (MCRIC) and has been an associate professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice since fall 2019. The MCRIC provides academic expertise, conducts research, integrates data, and builds partnerships among government, academia, and industry. It also develops and evaluates innovative criminal justice strategies aimed at preventing and reducing crime. Dr. Bersani has led research partnerships with local and state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and practitioners across Maryland, resulting in applied projects that benefit both the state and local communities.

Dr. Bersani has published her work in 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.