A Practical Approach to Supporting Chemistry Student Mental Health at University

Despite the well-reported prevalence of mental health issues in university education, relatively little research in this area is specifically focused on chemical sciences. In this chapter, we discuss universal causes of metal health difficulties experienced by undergraduate students and obstacles to them accessing suitable help and support. The responsibilities of both institutions and educators in the context of student mental health will be explored. Based on literature examples and survey data from chemistry staff and students, a series of practical measures that chemistry educators can implement to support the mental well-being of students will be discussed. These range from changes which require minimal time to introduce, to more substantial modifications, offering many possible options which cater to the diverse experience and workload of chemistry educators.