On the first day of her class at the University of Zurich, Annika Martin asks her students, primarily researchers, to roll out yoga mats and perform a pose called 'wild goose drinking water' from Lu Jong, a practice in Tantrayana Buddhism. Martin, a health psychologist, teaches stress management through yoga, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, and journaling. This initiative is part of a broader effort to address the mental-health crisis in academia, which has seen students and researchers experiencing high levels of stress, depression, and anxiety.
The Extent of the Crisis
Studies indicate that students and early-career researchers are particularly vulnerable due to low pay, job insecurity, and frequent relocations. Harassment, discrimination, bullying, and sexual assault further exacerbate mental health issues. Surveys by Wellcome and Cactus Communications highlight the prevalence of stress, harassment, and dissatisfaction among researchers. For instance, Wellcome's 2020 survey revealed that 70% of researchers felt stressed on an average workday, while Cactus Communications found that 37% of scientists experienced workplace discrimination or bullying.
University Initiatives
In response, universities like the University of Zurich and Imperial College London have launched various mental health courses and workshops. These initiatives include mindfulness and meditation classes, resilience training, and support for PhD supervisors. At Zurich, the demand for these courses exceeds the available spots, indicating the high need for such support.
Imperial College London offers over two dozen courses on topics like menstrual health and seasonal depression, with many developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Desiree Dickerson, a clinical psychologist, notes that the pandemic has increased awareness and demand for mental health support in academia.
Graduate Student and Postdoc Initiatives
Graduate students and postdocs have also taken the initiative to address mental health issues. Yaniv Yacoby, a former graduate student at Harvard, designed a course to teach the "hidden curriculum of the PhD" and create a supportive community. Jessica Noviello at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center developed the Professional Advancement Workshop Series (PAWS) to help researchers explore career options beyond academia, addressing a significant stressor.
Challenges and Systemic Issues
Despite these efforts, many researchers argue that more systemic changes are needed. Melanie Anne-Atkins from the University of Guelph notes that universities often fail to follow through on mental health initiatives due to financial priorities. David Trang, a planetary geologist, is working towards a mental-health counseling license to promote a healthier work environment but acknowledges that caring about mental health doesn't directly help researchers achieve academic milestones like grants or tenure.
A Cultural Shift
Some believe that workshops and courses are a crucial first step in destigmatizing mental health issues. Nina Effenberger, a computer science student in Germany, argues that a solid mental-health toolkit can help researchers separate their work from their identity and handle setbacks more effectively. Empowering individuals to push back against systemic issues is also seen as a way to drive broader change.
Collective Action and Unionization
Collective action has also played a role in improving working conditions. Union drives in the United States have led to salary increases and benefits for graduate students and researchers. In Germany, Effenberger and her colleagues successfully campaigned for higher pay at the International Max Planck Research School for Intelligent Systems.
Creating Supportive Environments
Beyond courses, universities are creating spaces for students to connect and support each other. Imperial College London has revamped common rooms and introduced retreats for postdocs and fellows. The International Max Planck Research School runs bootcamps and annual check-ins to address group dynamics and student concerns. They also plan to survey student mental health regularly to set and achieve mental health goals.
Measuring Progress
Dickerson emphasizes the importance of measuring mental health issues to track progress. Without data, it's challenging to demonstrate improvement. Trang's survey of the planetary-science community identified imposter syndrome and feeling unappreciated as major issues, providing a focus for future workshops.
As awareness grows, the academic community is beginning to address the mental health crisis more proactively. Initiatives range from individual courses to systemic changes, with a focus on creating supportive environments and measuring progress. While challenges remain, there is a sense of moving in the right direction towards better mental health in academia.
