What's in Your STEM Toolbox? A Talk About Mindfulness and Impactful Research Practices

Kaitlyn E. Crawford

University of Central Florida

Up to 75% of graduate students and 60% of faculty report issues like severe stress, anxiety, or depression. Research, career, and life pressures can translate to high-stress levels and a chronic fight-or-flight state in the body, contributing to both short—and long-term negative health effects when not kept in check. The good news is that understanding the underlying physical mechanisms of the stress response and how to approach its triggers can help researchers identify and reduce stress more easily. Simple mindfulness techniques can help researchers better manage day-to-day stressors. Practicing mindfulness and toning the body’s rest-and-digest pathway using strategic breathing activities, like those shared in this seminar, can help improve overall health and well-being. When combined with good project strategies, practicing thinking deeply in your research endeavors can significantly impact the rigor and quality of your research output. Thinking deeply involves creating thorough paths of thought by asking the right questions. Together, we will cover the physiological mechanisms behind stress responses, identify body triggers for stress, discuss techniques to enhance mindfulness and engage in activities that embrace thinking deeply for successful research outcomes and better work-life-career balance.