One of the things that concerns me as Associate Chair for Graduate Studies at Michigan has been the mental health of our graduate students. It seems that students feel under much more pressure than ever, with anxiety levels increasing dramatically over the past decade, and especially in the most recent five years or so.
I was happy to see this brief article in the Chronicle for Higher Education, reporting on a large new study about graduate student mental health. You have to sign up for a free account to access it, but there are many articles of interest in the Chronicle, perhaps the best regarded publication for news specific to academia. I recommend all PhD students check out the Chronicle, especially those considering a career as a college or university professor.
The authors of the study have postulated that a major cause of graduate student depression and anxiety has to do with worries and uncertainty about career prospects, and a culture of idealizing academic work as more engaging or meaningful. They would like you to participate in the study, so please consider doing so by clicking on the link. The more attention we can bring to this issue, the more support (financial and institutional) we can find for helping students!
I’d like to point out, before you click on the article, that the article paints a much bleaker picture of PhD prospects than I think is realistic for a Michigan PhD, and especially a Michigan Math PhD. There is a plentitude of meaningful (and high paying) work for PhD mathematicians outside academia—indeed, a shortage of mathematicians brought on by the data revolution—and many Michigan Math PhDs are loving their work there. As always, you are invited to “Invitations to Industry” every month to learn more about these opportunities, and pointed to the helpful people at Erdos Institute if you are actively seeking employment.
More resources below.
https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/math-graduates-new/non-academic-careers-project/
