Why Am I Doing This?

 One of the first things people ask (if they ask) is why am I studying a health topic? My background is in geology and engineering education, and its not easy to just jump disciplines. The thing is I've noticed over the years that engineering students (and engineers) are really weird. Belated gross generalisation alert. What's weird to me is that engineering courses are famously stressy affairs, with loads of time-based assessments and tons of deadlines. Yet we  don't see regular meltdowns or requests for counselling. What I was unknowingly observing was delayed help-seeking in a population perceived to be at risk. I didn't know these terms before I started studying but that's really what it came down to. 

As a personal tutor I had already participated in a mental health first aid course, but an opportunity came up to undertake ASIST (applied suicide intervention skills training) at the university where I work. The others were mostly graduating midwives but there was another interloper there, from the Nightline support service. I have to confess to feeling wholly out of my depth on the first day, but it became easier to deal with as time went on.

The course leader had asked my I had asked to join, and I explained my role in the School of Engineering. She was fascinated and told me about some of her experiences with engineers in the workplace. It looked like there was a real gap in knowledge and she suggested why don't I look at it for a PhD. I'd been thinking about doctoral study for some time but hadn't really found a topic I felt would fit the bill.

Suffice to say I wrote up an application and was accepted to begin an MRes/PhD in the mental health and wellbeing of engineering students. That's the short version but it will do for now.

Over the past 3 years I have learned a huge amount, but there is one thing that always keeps me going and moving forward. There are increasing cases of engineering students coming to harm through poor mental wellbeing. I see it in my school, I see it in the schools of other universities. It is not getting better, and the more that I can discover on this subject, the better chance we have of turning that around.



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