During my PhD, I experienced mental health concerns for the first time. It was during this period I realised the stigma that still surrounds mental illness, the lack of awareness of issues that might affect mental health in academia, and the lack of tailored support for PhD students. 
 
I believe for us to truly solve the biggest challenges of today we must have diverse teams of talented individuals working towards one common goal. I also strongly believe that wellbeing and productivity go hand in hand, and am interested in this intersection, enabling researchers to be at prolonged peak performance. For these reasons I advocate for improved mental health awareness and support in academia and beyond, as well as greater representation and inclusivity within STEM,  alongside my day job as a scientist.