After nearly four decades of teaching, research and service at the (COPH), , professor in the , will retire Aug. 31.
Bernard joined USF in 1989 and built a career focused on occupational safety and health, with particular expertise in industrial hygiene, ergonomics and the evaluation and control of heat stress and strain.
His work in heat stress has included developing exposure assessment methods, investigating the effects of protective clothing and personal cooling systems, and applying heat balance and physiological strain assessments in workplace environments.
Bernard has also made significant contributions to ergonomics, including the development of surveillance and job analysis tools for short-cycle manufacturing jobs. His work has examined biomechanics, muscle fatigue and cumulative trauma with the goal of helping workplaces better match job demands with the needs of workers.
His impact at USF, however, extends well beyond research.
Drs. Thomas Bernard (far left) and Charles Mahan (far right) with the 1995 91社区 Outstanding Woman in Public Health Marriane McEuen and her husband at the COPH. (Photo courtesy of Natalie Preston)
For more than a decade, Bernard directed the NIOSH-supported (SERC), which trains occupational safety and health professionals across several USF colleges and through collaborations with the University of Central 91社区 and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Nolan Kimball, a retired COPH administrator who worked with Bernard for many years, said his leadership of SERC helped provide opportunities for generations of students.
鈥淎side from being an excellent teacher and mentor to his students, as the director of the SERC for over 10 years, he was able to completely fund many students to receive graduate degrees through the center,鈥 Kimball said.
In the classroom, Bernard taught graduate-level courses in occupational safety and health, including industrial ergonomics, safety and health administration and engineering systems safety. He also contributed to occupational and environmental health courses, supervised student research and regularly taught professional development courses.
His commitment to teaching earned him the COPH Distinguished Teaching Award three times, in 1993, 1996 and 2003. His professional recognition also includes serving as a Fulbright Scholar at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom in 2011 and holding the W.W. Clyde Chair in the College of Engineering at the University of Utah in 2002. He is a fellow of the American Industrial Hygiene Association and has held professional certifications in industrial hygiene, ergonomics, safety and public health.
Bernard earned his PhD in occupational health from the University of Pittsburgh in 1975 and his master鈥檚 and bachelor鈥檚 degrees in mechanical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. Before coming to USF, his career included positions with Westinghouse Electric Corp., the U.S. Bureau of Mines, Pennsylvania State University and the University of Pittsburgh.
Throughout his time at the COPH, colleagues say Bernard was known not only for his expertise but also for his humility, humor and willingness to support others.
鈥淰ery intelligent, soft-spoken, always thinks the best of others and a great sense of humor,鈥 Kimball said. 鈥淚 always knew that Tom was very supportive of me.鈥
Natalie Preston, director of the , remembers Bernard as someone who always made time for those around him, regardless of their role in the college.
鈥淭om and I worked on the same side of the college and we often patronized Tarek's Cafe. Hence, we'd run into each other often. Tom has a snarky sense of humor (takes one to know one),鈥 Preston said. 鈥淚 love that he never seemed in a hurry. Or, should I say he always took the time to stop and chat. There didn't seem to be any difference in how he interacted with staff vs students vs his faculty peers.鈥
Meterologist Andy Johnson and Dr. Thomas Bernard discussing heat stress in a WMNF interview. (Photo courtesy of Natalie Preston)
Preston recalled Bernard's willingness to share his expertise with the public, particularly on heat stress. Years ago, while producing a USF Health with former COPH Dean , Preston watched as Bernard suited Petersen up in protective clothing for her to be filmed walking on a treadmill in his heat stress laboratory.
鈥淣ot all faculty are comfortable speaking with media,鈥 Preston said. 鈥淭om was, and I applaud him for sharing his expertise often.鈥
Bernard also played an important role in building community within the college. As chair of the former Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, he helped lead an annual Super Bowl celebration that brought faculty, staff and graduate students together for food, team jerseys and friendly competition.
鈥淭om was a huge champion of community building,鈥 Preston said. 鈥淚 appreciate that he found value in bringing staff, faculty and graduate students together for the sake of fellowship.鈥
Kimball remembers another tradition that reflected Bernard's thoughtfulness: For years, he paid for holiday corsages for staff members to wear to the annual holiday party.
Drs. Thomas Bernard and Ira Richards at the COPH's 30th Anniversary Super Bowl party. (Photo courtesy of Natalie Preston)
As he prepares to retire as one of the college's longest-serving faculty members, Bernard will also receive another distinction. Upon retirement, he will be officially recognized as professor emeritus, an honor USF grants to faculty members whose exemplary careers merit continued recognition.
For Kimball, Bernard's legacy can be summed up in the lessons he demonstrated throughout his career: 鈥淏e humble and expect the best from others.鈥