Rate My Professor Urs Nater

Urs Markus Nater is Professor of Clinical Psychology of Adulthood in the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Vienna, where he has held a full professorship with tenure since 2017. He serves as Head of the Department for Clinical and Health Psychology and Director of the Institute for Clinical and Health Psychology since 2018. Additionally, he leads the research group on stress and stress-related disorders, the Music and Health Lab, and the multidisciplinary research platform SOLE on The Stress of Life. Prior to Vienna, Nater was Lichtenberg Professor of Clinical Biopsychology (W3) at Philipps University of Marburg from 2011 to 2017. Earlier positions include Senior Researcher (Oberassistent) at the University of Zurich's Department of Psychology from 2007 to 2010 under Prof. Ulrike Ehlert. His academic training comprises studies in psychology, psychopathology, and neurophysiology at the University of Zurich from 1995 to 2001, earning the lic. phil. degree, followed by the PhD program at the Neuroscience Center Zurich of the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich from 2002 to 2004, culminating in a PhD in 2004 summa cum laude.

Nater's research centers on experimental stress research, elucidating mechanisms of stress-related morbidity through biomarkers, psychophysiological measures, and ecologically valid assessments in everyday life. He investigates interventions such as music listening, yoga, and ecological momentary strategies to mitigate stress responses, alongside topics like chronic fatigue, somatic symptoms, postpartum depression, childhood maltreatment, and postmigration stress. Key publications include 'Human salivary alpha-amylase reactivity in a psychosocial stress paradigm' (2005), 'The multidimensionality of stress and its assessment' (2018), and 'Recent developments in stress and anxiety research' (2021). With over 375 publications and more than 21,000 citations on Google Scholar, his work has substantial impact in psychoneuroendocrinology and health psychology. Notable honors encompass the Irmela Florin Research Award (2007, German Society for Behavioral Medicine), Charlotte and Karl Bühler Award (2012, German Society for Psychology), Outstanding New Investigator Award (2016, International Society for Behavioral Medicine), Distinguished International Affiliate (2018, Society for Health Psychology APA Div. 38), Best Poster Award (2003, European Society for Cognitive Sciences in Music), and election as Member-at-Large to the ISBM Board (2024). He has delivered keynote lectures, including at the International Congress of Behavioral Medicine.