The Academic Life

Managing your Mental Health During Your PhD

Aug 24, 2023

Dr. Zoe Ayres, an expert in mental health during a PhD program, discusses the hidden curriculum and pressures of graduate school, the need for a network of mentors outside school, and deep systemic problems in academia. She also explores the experiences of PhD students and provides resources for students while offering ideas for improvements that universities can make to ensure a supportive environment for all.

52:52

Episode guests

Zoe Ayres

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The relationship between PhD students and their supervisors plays a crucial role in the success of their experience, highlighting the importance of clear communication, support, and mentorship.

Academic institutions need to address the hidden curriculum and systemic barriers within academia to create a more inclusive and equitable environment for all students, especially those from marginalized or first-generation backgrounds.

Deep dives

Importance of Supportive PhD Supervisors and Mentorship

One of the main factors that can make or break a PhD experience is the relationship between the student and the supervisor. It is important for supervisors to be easily contactable, provide help when asked, and operate with respect and understanding. Mentorship from multiple sources can also be valuable, allowing students to receive different perspectives and guidance. PhD supervisors should prioritize communication and transparency, setting clear expectations and boundaries. On the other hand, students should feel empowered to seek support and advocate for themselves when needed.

Introduction

3min

Discovering a Passion for Science and the Path to a PhD

2min

Challenges of Being a First-Generation Student and Dealing with Classism

3min

Inspiration and Key Takeaways

11min

Finding Participants for Mental Health Research

4min

The Importance of Soft Skills in PhD Programs

22min

Leaving a PhD: A Positive and Destigmatizing Perspective

2min

Managing Mental Health During Your PhD: A Comprehensive Guide and Call for Change

3min

Can your graduate school affect your mental health? Dr. Zoe Ayres joins us to discuss what she wishes she had known before starting graduate school, including:

What happens when you can’t access the hidden curriculum.
The myths we tell ourselves, and the systems that work against us.
How the pressures of graduate school can affect our mental health.
Why you need a to build a network of mentors outside your school.

Today’s book is: Managing Your Mental Health During Your PhD: A Survival Guide, by Dr. Zoe Ayres, which investigates why mental health issues are so common among the student population. Ayres looks honestly at the experiences of PhD students, and explores environmental factors that can impact mental health. These include the PhD student-supervisor relationship, the pressure to publish, and deep systemic problems in academia, such as racism, bullying and harassment. She provides resources students, while offering ideas for improvements that universities can make to ensure that academia is a place for all to thrive.

Our guest is: Dr. Zoë Ayres, who studied for a PhD in chemistry at the University of Warwick, looking at using electrochemical boron doped diamond sensors to monitor environmental contaminants, before transitioning to industry. She worked for several years as a Senior Scientist in the water industry, before becoming Head of Research and Technology for a biotechnology start-up. She has transitioned back into academia, and is Head of Laboratory Facilities at the Open University, working with her team to manage over 180 laboratories. Zoë cares passionately about creating spaces for people to thrive in research. She is the author of Managing Your Mental Health During Your PhD: A Survival Guide, and of articles and peer-reviewed papers on improving research culture. She is co-Founder of Voices of Academia, an international blog designed to share the academic mental health experiences of academics from around the world.

Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is a historian.

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