RESEARCH_FILE
Teresa Evans
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Known for:Lead author of the landmark 2018 Nature Biotechnology study establishing that PhD students experience depression and anxiety at 2.6 times the rate of comparable educated populations, and identifying advisor relationship quality as the primary wellbeing predictor
SEE THE PRACTICE
Turn a thought this research explains into one clear move.
THE THOUGHT
“I should know this by now — I’m years in”
YOUR RECORDED RESPONSE
“I’ve been here long enough to know what I still need to look up.”
ONE PRIVATE MOVE
Write one confusing term, step, or result on a scrap of paper. Set a 5-minute timer and look up only that item, then stop and keep the note as-is.
Key findings
- 2018
Evans et al. surveyed 2,279 PhD students across 26 countries and found that graduate students are 2.6 times more likely to experience depression and anxiety than the general educated population, with work-life balance, advisor relationship, and career prospects as the top predictors — and mentoring-style advisors associated with rates comparable to the general population. Evidence for a mental health crisis in graduate education ↗