New “I am Scientist” Podcast Episode: Mental Health of PhD Students
Published:
As PhD students we often get asked, “Hey, how is your thesis going?” This question can often create a lot of pressure even if it is well-intended. I had the great pleasure to discuss this topic with two of the authors of a paper published in 2023 about the mental health of PhD students.
Julian Friedrich and Markus Kleinhansl are part of the PhD initiative Sustainability in Tübingen, which has actively engaged in various sustainability projects. They also created a survey focusing on the working habits and mental health of PhD students. Among their findings: 31.3% of participants work 45 hours or more, and one third of PhD students is at risk of major depression.
During the podcast, we discuss the causes of stress among PhD students and how this pressure can sometimes lead to crisis situations. We also talk about practical techniques to manage stress and overcome the “imposter” feeling many of us experience.
About the I AM SCIENTIST Podcast
I joined the I AM SCIENTIST podcast team in 2022, started by Daniel Hölle and Philipp Hubert. Since then, the three of us have had a lot of fun working together and growing this project. In the podcast, we interview PhD students about the science they are passionate about, their day-to-day life as researchers, and what personally drives them.
All our efforts for this podcast happen in our free time, and we (so far) only produce episodes in German for our listeners there.
Recording this episode on mental health was an opportunity for me to raise awareness on important issues, reach more people, and make a difference.