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!
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
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.
This is the poster that Sai, Jada, and Erika presented at the Summit at Brown University at the end of the semester.