Monday, June 16, 2025
Eun-Young Mun, PhD, a regents professor and associate dean for Research and Innovation at The University of North Texas Health Science Center of Fort Worth’s College of Public Health, has received the Nan Tobler Award at the 33rd annual meeting of the Society for Prevention Research. The international, multidisciplinary organization is committed to advancing the well-being of individuals, families and communities and preventing harm.
The Nan Tobler Award for the Review of Prevention Science Literature is given to “an individual or a team of individuals for contributions to the summarization or articulation of the empirical evidence relevant to prevention science,” according to the Society for Prevention Research. Mun was honored for her longstanding commitment to synthesizing research on preventing alcohol misuse among young adults over the past two decades.
UNTHSC's Dr. Eun-Young Mun (middle) pictured with her long-term colleagues, Dr. Emily Tanner-Smith at the University of Oregon (left) and Dr. David Huh at the University of Washington (right)
Since 2010, Mun has directed her interdisciplinary National Institutes of Health R01 project, Project INTEGRATE, providing a critical body of robust, large-scale evidence for the alcohol intervention field. To date, the project has produced close to 70 publications on clinical outcomes, novel methods and tutorials. Mun has helped shape the nation’s research agenda by drawing inferences from clinical trials to provide clarity in the field.
A pioneer in transparent and reproducible research practices, Mun and her team adopted open science practices early on, setting standards and providing models for the field to follow. Their commitment to sharing data and computing codes with the public promotes transparency, scientific rigor and discovery — strengthening public health research from clinical trials to systematic and meta-analysis reviews.
Mun has also cultivated vibrant, interdisciplinary team science research programs and fostered the career development of more than 60 individuals at various stages, many of whom are now active in academia and industry. She continues to mentor former mentees as they pursue their first NIH research grants. In addition, Mun secured a five-year R25 grant from the NIH in 2024 to provide immersive research mentoring in data science for the next generation of addiction researchers.
“Dr. Mun is an innovator and leader not only for our college, but in promoting healthier communities worldwide,” said Shafik Dharamsi, dean of the College of Public Health. “This award highlights the transformative global impact of her work in prevention science.”
“I am honored to receive this recognition from the Society of Prevention Research,” said Mun. “Evidence synthesis is essential for transforming research into real-world impact. I am grateful to my colleagues, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the College of Public Health for their ongoing support.”
Since joining the College of Public Health in January 2018, Mun has become a tenured professor. In 2024, she was named a regents professor in the UNT System and appointed associate dean for Research and Innovation. She is the 18th recipient of the Nan Tobler Award since its inception in 2000.
From HSC Newsroom - Our People by Maya McMillian