"I'm Not Well and That's Okay": A talk on mental health in the STEM community

By Nicole Capozziello

Over 70 students from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences gathered in Davis Hall to hear Nguyen, a community organizer, writer, speaker, and software engineer, share her personal experience with mental health issues and how to promote understanding and wellness in STEM fields.

The evening included an informal pre-session for computer science and engineering students, a keynote presentation, dinner, and a panel discussion on mental health resources on campus and in the community.

“SEAS recognizes that when faced with both rigorous academics and significant lifestyle changes, students often experience various degrees of stress and anxiety,” said Christine Human, associate dean for accreditation and student affairs. “Events such as Julia’s talk help break down the social stigma associated with mental health. Students got to hear from a STEM professional who is open about her mental health struggles and learn more about resources available on campus.”

In her talk, titled “I’m Not Well and That’s Okay,” Nguyen shared the personal struggles that led her to her current work as an activist and mental health crusader in tech.

“Growing up the daughter of first-generation immigrants, I didn’t know words in Vietnamese to describe mental health,” said Nguyen, who was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, and anxiety following a breakdown during her teenage years in Toronto. “And the fact that we have limited language around mental health not only really affected the way I grew up but contributes to these issues being stigmatized.”

During her undergraduate years at the University of Waterloo, Nguyen took part in a rigorous cooperative education program in computer science. In competitive classes, lacking a supportive community, in a field that seemed to prize productivity over all else, Nguyen’s sense of self-worth suffered, and along with it, her mental health. She experienced isolation, panic attacks, and eventually attempted suicide.

But while Nguyen’s story contains a lot of struggle, it is also one of pride and hope. She became honest with herself and loved ones about the challenges of school and her mental health. She found the community she needed in her school’s Women in Computer Science Club. And, she learned to advocate for herself, drawing on the resources her university provided to accommodate her academic and personal needs.

“You can’t advocate for others without advocating for yourself first,” says Nguyen, who is now a senior software engineer at MailChimp in San Francisco. For Nguyen, the next step was to use her voice, perspective, and unique skills as a computer scientist to share her story, bringing visibility to mental health issues and creating community for others.

After being introduced to the open-source model in her professional life, she found the way she wanted to use technology for the good of society. She founded if-me.org, an open-source mental health communication app that creates space and community for people to share their struggles.

Following the talk, students were able to pose questions during a panel discussion. Alongside Nguyen, John Jurica, a staff psychologist at UB Counseling Services, and Max Donatelli, a retired counselor and family therapist and chair of the Erie County Anti-Stigma Coalition were present. The panelists offered information on how to go about getting a diagnosis, be an advocate for the mental wellbeing of yourself and others, and infuse the cultures of tech and academia with more empathy and support.

"Recent news on suicide of a PhD student in Stanford reminds us again that the anxiety and depression among our students is a serious problem. Julia did a great job in engaging the audience with her lively presentation and humor on a subject that is serious. In particular, she shared her personal stories by talking about her own mental health issues which made it easier for others to relate to. I think not only our students but also faculty members benefit from having a better understanding of the issues and the need to deal with these issues effectively," said Chunming Qiao, professor and chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering.

“This event was a step towards creating awareness amongst the STEM community and destigmatizing the prejudice surrounding mental health,” added Darshana Balakrishnan, a doctoral student in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering who helped organize the event. “Hopefully we can have even more experiences like these for our student community.”

The event was sponsored by the Department of Computer Science and Engineeirng, the School of the Engineering and Applied Sciences, and the SEAS Engineering Partners program.