BEING HUMAN IN STEM
  • About the Initiative
    • Inspiration & Mission
    • Timeline
    • Documentary
  • Amherst HSTEM Course
    • About
    • Spring 2020 Course
    • Spring 2019 Course >
      • Consolidating STEM Student Resources
      • Examining Mental Health in STEM
      • Outreach to Local Elementary Schools
    • Summer 2018 Condensed Course
    • Spring 2018 Course >
      • Expanding HSTEM Initiatives: Developing a Condensed Model for HSTEM Course
      • Developing Workshops to Foster Conversations about & Assess the State of Inclusion in STEM at Amherst College and Beyond
      • Supporting Engagement of Elementary School-Aged Children in STEM
      • About Us
    • Fall 2017 Course >
      • Expanding/Deepening HSTEM Interventions at Amherst College
      • Documenting/Archiving HSTEM Story and Artifacts
      • Engaging Stakeholders Beyond Amherst College
      • Supporting Engagement of Elementary School Aged Children in STEM
      • About Us
    • Spring 2017 Course
    • Fall 2016 Course
    • Spring 2016 Course >
      • The Interview Project
      • The Amherst Context
      • Sample Workshop Ideas
      • About Us: the Pioneers >
        • Ashley Bohan
        • Emma Ryan
        • Ruth Manzanares
        • Sheila Jaswal
        • Chelsea Nkansah-Siriboe
        • Sanyu Takirambudde
        • Louise Atadja
        • Gaby Mayer
        • Olivia Truax
        • Doyin Ariyibi
  • HOW TO HSTEM
    • Resources & Activities
    • Inclusive Curricular Resources
    • Readings >
      • Effective Practices
      • Background Reading on Inclusive STEM practices
      • Background Readings on Diversity in STEM
  • Beyond Amherst
    • Other HSTEM Courses >
      • About
    • In the News
  • Updates
  • Contact

Examining Mental Health in STEM at Amherst College

Pictured left to right above: Jada Palmer (class of 2019) and Sai Chauhan (class of 2020). Not pictured: Erika Zambrano (class of 2019)

Jada, Sai, and Erika explain their project:
​

STEM courses have high expectations of their students. Success in STEM courses requires diligence, skill, and perseverance--but oftentimes, another perceived expectation of these courses is perfection. The high pressure and rigidity of STEM courses can trigger or exacerbate mental health issues, and the silence and stigma around mental health make it all the harder for students to get the help that they need and deserve.

The resource guide we created this semester arose from our own experiences and struggles as students with mental health issues navigating STEM at Amherst. We, through this guide, hope to facilitate this conversation around mental health in STEM, as well as provide students with easier access to mental health accommodations, and academic resources. Testimonials and quotations from current STEM students with mental health difficulties are also included in order to humanize these experiences. Based on these conversations, we have also provided advice specific to accommodations in STEM courses.

To see the online draft version of the guide visit:
http://bit.ly/hstemlinks
Check here soon for the draft of the booklet!

Mental Health in STEM Gallery

Picture
Erika (back left), Jada (back right), and Sai (front right) present their poster at the Inclusion and Representation in the Sciences Summit at Brown University on 25 April 2019. Their research on mental health in STEM drew the attention of many attendees at the summit.
Picture
This is the poster that Sai, Jada, and Erika presented at the Summit at Brown University at the end of the semester.
© COPYRIGHT 2017. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • About the Initiative
    • Inspiration & Mission
    • Timeline
    • Documentary
  • Amherst HSTEM Course
    • About
    • Spring 2020 Course
    • Spring 2019 Course >
      • Consolidating STEM Student Resources
      • Examining Mental Health in STEM
      • Outreach to Local Elementary Schools
    • Summer 2018 Condensed Course
    • Spring 2018 Course >
      • Expanding HSTEM Initiatives: Developing a Condensed Model for HSTEM Course
      • Developing Workshops to Foster Conversations about & Assess the State of Inclusion in STEM at Amherst College and Beyond
      • Supporting Engagement of Elementary School-Aged Children in STEM
      • About Us
    • Fall 2017 Course >
      • Expanding/Deepening HSTEM Interventions at Amherst College
      • Documenting/Archiving HSTEM Story and Artifacts
      • Engaging Stakeholders Beyond Amherst College
      • Supporting Engagement of Elementary School Aged Children in STEM
      • About Us
    • Spring 2017 Course
    • Fall 2016 Course
    • Spring 2016 Course >
      • The Interview Project
      • The Amherst Context
      • Sample Workshop Ideas
      • About Us: the Pioneers >
        • Ashley Bohan
        • Emma Ryan
        • Ruth Manzanares
        • Sheila Jaswal
        • Chelsea Nkansah-Siriboe
        • Sanyu Takirambudde
        • Louise Atadja
        • Gaby Mayer
        • Olivia Truax
        • Doyin Ariyibi
  • HOW TO HSTEM
    • Resources & Activities
    • Inclusive Curricular Resources
    • Readings >
      • Effective Practices
      • Background Reading on Inclusive STEM practices
      • Background Readings on Diversity in STEM
  • Beyond Amherst
    • Other HSTEM Courses >
      • About
    • In the News
  • Updates
  • Contact