PhD students from WOMHER defended three new theses on women’s mental health
It’s been a busy and productive spring, with a total of six PhD students from WOMHER’s research school completing their doctoral degrees. This week in June, three PhD students defended their thesis, each contributing with new insights into the field of women’s mental health.
WOMHER’s research school was established in 2020, following the approval of 16 interdisciplinary doctoral projects co-funded by WOMHER’s board. To ensure an interdisciplinary approach to women’s mental health, each project was required to include supervisors from at least two of Uppsala University’s disciplinary domains: Medicine and Pharmacy, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Science and Technology.
“We are very proud of our doctoral students and their supervisors, who have contributed to an interdisciplinary research area of women's mental health," says Deputy Director of WOMHER, Ingela Nyström. We now look forward to creating a network with our alumni for continued joint activities.”
In June, three doctoral students defended their theses within the same week. On 11 June, Ayesha-Mae Bilal presented her dissertation “The Space Between: Bridging Emotion and Data in Mental Health Research”. The following day, Maria Romare Strandh defended her thesis “Navigating Parenting and Cancer: Understanding Parenting Concerns, Challenges, and Supporting Psychological Well-being in Parents with Cancer.” The week concluded with Mengyu Zhong’s defence of “Bridging Technology and Mental Health: Challenges and Opportunities in Robot-assisted Perinatal Depression Screening.”
“Since 2020, these and other projects within the graduate school have advanced the field of women’s mental health by generating key research findings that deepen our understanding of how to promote mental wellbeing and how to prevent and treat diverse manifestations of mental ill-health", says Emma Hovén.
Although the projects differ in scope and methodology, they share a common goal: to enhance our understanding of how to advance and support women’s mental health. WOMHER’s leadership now looks forward to following the continued journeys of these new doctors, as they build international networks and gain further experience.
“We look forward to following their continued work to advance women’s mental health – whether they pursue their careers within or beyond academia” says Emma Hovén.
From left: Ayesha Bilal, PhD student at WOMHER's research school, defends her thesis.
From left: Ginevra Castellano, principal supervisor and Mengyu Zhong, PhD student at WOMHER's research school.
From left: Maria Romare Strandh, PhD student at WOMHER’s research school, and Emma Hovén, Director of WOMHER.