Lee Bernick is a professor with expertise in state and local public policy, survey research, public budgeting, and legislative behavior. He has been published in a variety of professional journals including Public Administration Review, Legislative Studies Quarterly, Journal of Politics, and State and Local Government Review.

Prior to coming to UNLV Bernick taught at Iowa State University and University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). At UNCG he was director of a center of social science research. He was an elected school board member in Greensboro, N.C. At UNLV he has served as chair of an academic department and dean of the Greenspun College of Urban Affairs.

He and his students in the doctoral degree in public affairs program annually conduct a State of the State Survey: Nevada to tap the opinions of Nevadans on a wide ranging issues facing Nevada.  His current research projects include an analysis of national-state relations with regard to educational policy, county governments, and survey methodology.