Mental Health

The UCL CS Mental Health Working Group was formed to promote good practices around mental health, create opportunities for all to share common experiences, and build a supportive community. We organise events, workshops and seminars for all academic and professional services staff and PhD students.

This series of events is called Mindful Conversations, covering topics such as impostor syndrome, navigating complex Work relationships at university, and upcoming seminar Managing Anxiety and Uncertainty in Academia. 

UCL Computer Science Mental Health First Aiders

• Bernadette Murray: b.murray@ucl.ac.uk
• Klara Brandstaetter: k.brandstatter@ucl.ac.uk
• Maria Perez-Ortiz: maria.perez@ucl.ac.uk
• Matthew Grech-Sollars: m.grech-sollars@ucl.ac.uk
• Liz Awad: elizabeth.awad@ucl.ac.uk
• Alice Winters: a.winters@ucl.ac.uk
• Maryam Banduka: m.bandukda@ucl.ac.uk
• Thomas Whitney: t.whitney@ucl.ac.uk 
• Anna Widdup: a.widdup@ucl.ac.uk
• Ray Ojinnaka: r.ojinnaka@ucl.ac.uk
• Charlotte Fergusson: c.fergusson@ucl.ac.uk
• Ricki Angel: ricki.angel@ucl.ac.uk
• Silpa Shah: silpa.shah@ucl.ac.uk
• Mehran Allybaccus: ucacall@ucl.ac.uk

Resources

• UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services
• Information for staff | Students - UCL – University College London
• Staff Mental Health support Services 
• Employee Assistance Programme: Staff Support Service
• MHFA England
• Additional Mental Health Resources
• External Organisations

UCL Computer Science Mindful Conversation Events

The UCL Department of Computer Science mental health working group are organising a series of events called Mindful Conversations. UCL staff and PhD students are welcome to attend. We have the following upcoming events:

Mindful Conversations 2: Managing Anxiety and Uncertainty in Academia on 26 February 2025 at 12.30pm, at the AI Centre, 90 High Holborn

Our seminar tackles the widespread issue of anxiety and uncertainty in academia, impacting professional services (PS), PhD students, postdocs, and PIs alike. PS staff may experience anxiety due to potential power imbalances between themselves and academic staff.

For PhD students, anxiety often stems from self-doubt, the solitary nature of research, concerns about timely completion, future employment prospects, and direction of their research.

Postdocs face the additional stress of short-term contracts, and the pressure to produce high-quality research and publications while constantly job hunting. Principal investigators (PIs), experience anxiety related to securing grants, managing teams, and maintaining research outputs.

This session will provide practical strategies to manage these anxieties, fostering resilience and a supportive community.

Mindful Conversations 3: Summer 2025 (details to follow). 

Previous events

Mindful Conversations: Navigating Complex Work Relationships at University (November 2024)

Our first seminar in the new academic year delved into the complex issue of toxic work relationships, including bullying, harassment, and unrealistic expectations. These negative dynamics significantly impact mental health, leading to stress, anxiety, and decreased productivity.

In academia, where hierarchical structures and competitive pressures are prevalent, it is crucial to address these issues head-on. Difficult or toxic work relationships can occur at any level, whether it’s a PhD student, postdoc or professional services staff dealing with an unsupportive supervisor, or a manager managing a challenging team member.

This session will provide participants with the knowledge and tools to identify toxic behaviours, understand their impact, and develop strategies to manage and mitigate these challenges. This seminar was delivered by Natalie Snodgrass, Quiet Space Coaching.

Mindful Conversations: Supporting others to embrace their worth. Tackling Impostor Syndrome, July 2024

A supportive and empowering seminar focused on understanding impostor syndrome and on how to support others to overcome feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. Led by our dedicated student support and wellbeing business partner, Robert Clarke, this session explored strategies for recognising and combatting impostor syndrome, while also emphasising the importance of supporting others who may be experiencing similar challenges.

Together, we will delve into practical techniques for building confidence, fostering a culture of inclusivity and empowerment, and creating a community where everyone feels valued and capable. Whether you're navigating your own impostor syndrome or seeking to uplift and empower those around you, this seminar offers valuable insights and tools for personal and collective growth.