Ohio State psychology professor Josh Smyth has received the 2026 Distinguished Scientist Award from the Society for Biopsychosocial Science and Medicine. The honor – the society’s highest – recognizes senior researchers who have made significant, long-term contributions to biopsychosocial science, a field focused on the interplay of physical and psychological health. 

Smyth, an Ohio Eminent Scholar in Health Psychology in the Department of Psychology, will accept the award this week in Chicago at the SBSM annual meeting, where he will also give a plenary presentation. 

The award provides valuable recognition for the interdisciplinary nature of human health, Smyth explained, and it offers an opportunity for Ohio State to lead in this area.

“[The award] recognizes a field that shows how health is shaped not only in clinics and hospitals, but also in daily life—through behavior, stress, relationships, and environment,” he said.  

Given annually since 2012, the nomination-based Distinguished Scientist Award includes a check for $1,500 and a commemorative plaque. Smyth’s nomination came from University of California professor Matthew Zawadzki, who highlighted Smyth’s decades of influential research on the effects of psychological stress on health. These include elevated cortisol, inflammation and cardiovascular risk. 

Smyth’s work on interventions to improve health outcomes and resilience has also reshaped the field. Among other digital tools, he has helped advance AI-delivered therapy, wearable sensors and mobile health technologies. He was also instrumental in establishing Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) methods as a core part of biopsychosocial research.

These accomplishments are reflected in Smyth’s more than 400 publications, as well as his nearly 30 years of continuous NIH and other federal research funding. His work has “inspired countless scientists and scholars,” according to an SBSM announcement.

“This is a great honor both for Josh and for the department, and it is rewarding to see his fine work recognized,” said Duane Wegener, chair of the Department of Psychology. “We are very fortunate to have Josh as our Eminent Scholar in Health Psychology!”

Smyth directs the Stress, Health, and Daily Experiences (SHADE) Lab within the Department of Psychology. He is also a member of the university’s Institute of Brain, Behavior, and Immunology.

Founded in 1942, the Society for Biopsychosocial Science and Medicine advances scientific understanding of biological, psychological, behavioral and social factors in human health and disease. It also works to integrate this understanding in education and healthcare settings.