World Mental Health Day, on October 10th each year, is an important reminder that wellbeing is central to thriving, not only in our personal lives but in our professional and academic communities. On this day we’d like to spotlight a global volunteer-driven organization and collaborative partner of the IEEE Photonics Society’s Young Professionals Advisory Committee, Dragonfly Mental Health, who is dedicated to cultivating mental health among academics worldwide.
Formed by academics, Dragonfly Mental Health brings together scientists, researchers, students, and faculty from all over the world. Their shared goal is simple: a love for our academic pursuits, but a also want to take care of themselves and enjoy life. Academia can be an incredible journey, but it often comes with high-pressure environments, cultural stigma, and systemic barriers that affect mental health. Dragonfly exists to change that through its global reach, multidisciplinary engagement approach, and adopting principles apply broadly while respecting specific needs. They support evidence-based and open access practices.
Research, Consulting, and Building Community
Dragonfly Mental Health’s volunteers conduct independent research on the effectiveness of mental health initiatives targeting academics and assess current mental health challenges, available services, stigmas, and institutional barriers. From this, the organization creates practical guidance, templates, and best practices for departments and institutions to foster healthy academic environments.
Through its trained ambassadors, personalized consulting for individuals, departments, and institutions is provided. Our services include needs assessments, program development, deployment strategies, and impact evaluation. Whether through workshops, seminars, or campaigns, Dragonfly’s interventions are peer-delivered, and tailored to a community’s unique needs.
They believe peer support, similar to the IEEE’s practices, is essential. A Dragonfly Café hosts online events regularly where academics from all disciplines and corners of the globe come together to share experiences, build resilience, and combat social isolation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they hosted three live events per week to keep our community connected.
Dragonfly Mental Health began at a conference in 2019, when a passionate group of academics realized the urgent need for mental health support in academia. From a single breakout session, the volunteers quickly grew into a global network, now offering workshops, seminars, and a comprehensive 25-point framework designed to create sustainable, systemic change in academic environments.
Get Involved: Volunteer with Dragonfly Mental Health
Volunteers are the heart of Dragonfly Mental Health, much like the IEEE. If you’re passionate about creating a supportive and healthy academic culture, we encourage IEEE Photonics members and volunteers in the community to find ways to contribute:
- Join the Volunteer Email List for updates, newsletters, and event notifications.
- Attend Dragonfly Café online peer-support meetings.
- Join their Slack Community to connect with volunteers worldwide.
- Participate in Working Groups focused on Communication, Consulting, Fundraising, Research, Organizational support, or Systemic Change.
- Train to become a Dragonfly Ambassador and deliver evidence-based mental health programs on campus.
Anyone interested can fill out the Dragonfly Mental Health Volunteer Interest Form to share their skills, interests, and availability. Whether your time commitment is small or substantial, your contribution helps create meaningful, systemic change in academic mental health.
