Remembering Associate Professor Ed Bernat
The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences mourns the passing of a beloved member of our community, Associate Professor of Psychology Ed Bernat, who died on October 10, 2026. He had served as a member of the Department of Psychology faculty since 2013, and was also affiliated with the University of Maryland’s Brain and Behavior Institute, as well as the Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science.
Bernat was a cherished mentor, teacher and collaborator. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him, and his legacy will be carried on at UMD.
“I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the privilege of being Ed’s colleague. His presence, passion, and unwavering commitment to his work were truly remarkable,” Assistant Professor of Psychology Terrill O. Taylor said. “Ed inspired me to approach my own work with greater grace, intentionality, and dedication to our students and the profession.”
Bernat’s research focused on the brain mechanisms that underlie individual differences in cognitive and affective processing. This involved basic science work developing measures for critical mechanisms, and clinical-translational work that assessed how these mechanisms relate to psychopathology and individual differences.
Bernat’s research, and his dedication to improving quality of life, were in part driven by interactions with people he cared about.
“Ed cared deeply about addressing the mental health difficulties, as well as substance use challenges, that face so many people,” said Professor Michael Dougherty, chair of the Department of Psychology. “He dedicated his life’s work to making a difference.”
MPower Professor Jessica Magidson, director of the Center for Substance Use, Addiction and Health Research (CESAR), was working with Bernat in recent months on new nature and mental health collaborations as part of the Interdisciplinary Network for Place-based Learning, Action and Community-Engaged EnvironMental Health (IN-PLACE), a Grand Challenges 2.0 project. Bernat was a Co-Investigator, and Magidson is the Principal Investigator.
“More recently, Ed’s passion shifted to nature and understanding what mechanisms explain the immense cognitive benefits of time in nature, indoors or outdoors, virtually or in vivo, for both mental health and substance use outcomes,” Magidson said. “IN-PLACE wouldn’t have come together if it wasn’t for Ed. He was one of the first people I reached out to, and he helped inspire IN-PLACE. He was fiercely passionate about this work.”
Bernat earned funding for his research, particularly on investigating how brain mechanisms change during substance use disorder treatment. Bernat’s funders included the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and—for his work on anxiety/depression treatment—the Department of Defense.
Bernat earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Michigan, where he also completed an American Psychological Association-accredited internship and postdoctoral work in biomedical engineering.
He went on to serve as a research associate in clinical psychology at the University of Minnesota, and then as a member of the faculty in clinical psychology at Florida State University, before joining UMD.
“Ed had a remarkable ability to make those around him feel supported, valued, and comfortable being themselves. He approached mentorship with kindness, patience, and a wonderful sense of humor. He created an environment where questions were welcomed, mistakes were opportunities to learn, and thoughtful guidance was always generously offered. No matter what challenges we encountered in our work, we could always find a reason to laugh together,” said Associate Clinical Professor Cristina M. Risco. “Ed also had an infectious enthusiasm for research. I’ll always remember the way he would lean back in his chair with genuine wonder and excitement when we discovered something interesting, especially when the findings took us somewhere unexpected. His curiosity, humility, and generosity have shaped not only our work, but also the researchers we have become.”
The college shares its most sincere condolences with Bernat’s family, of whom he spoke very often, with great love and affection.
Published on Fri, Oct 16, 2026 - 2:17PM