School of Public Health’s Prochnow receives AAHB 2026 Judy K. Black Early Career Research Award

Tyler Prochnow, PhD, assistant professor at the Texas A&M University School of Public Health, has been named the 2026 Judy K. Black Early Career Research Award recipient by the American Academy of Health Behavior (AAHB). He will receive the award on Sunday, March 29 at the 2026 AAHB Scientific Meeting in Austin, Texas.

Prochnow’s work focuses on the health impacts of social connectedness, with an emphasis on physical activity and mental health. His research has been supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and the Retirement Research Foundation, among others, totaling more than $1.5 million. Most notably, he was awarded a K01 from NHLBI to examine how built and social environments influence adolescent physical activity and mental health during the summer using social network analysis and ecological momentary assessment. Prochnow has published more than 120 peer-reviewed articles and contributed to over 160 conference presentations. His work has been featured in more than 1,000 news outlets nationally and internationally.

“Receiving the Judy K. Black Award is extremely humbling and meaningful. AAHB has been a professional home for me since beginning my PhD program in 2018,” Prochnow said. “I would not be the person and researcher I am today without the many mentors and colleagues, both within AAHB and beyond, who made this accomplishment possible.”

He received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Carthage College and a doctorate from Baylor University.