Mental health risks in research training can no longer be ignored

Graduate research candidates are the powerhouse of research in universities, yet many have reported feelings of isolation, burnout, and career uncertainty. Karen Barry reports on a study of Australian research candidates which found that increasing numbers are suffering from heightened levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, often citing reasons related to academia's general work processes, such as writing or publishing research or maintaining motivation while working alone on a single topic. Higher education institutions can and must do more to increase monitoring of mental health and offer graduate researchers the support they require.