Join us at the MINDS Conference 2024 on Thursday, April 25th and Thursday, May 2nd, 2024. This virtual, international conference will feature a variety of speakers and discussions on diverse topics, including interpersonal relationships and diversity of experience in academia. Use this page to register to attend one or both dates!

Visit our website to learn more!

This event is free with the option to provide a donation with your ticket purchase. All donations will go to Dragonfly Mental Health to support their mental health awareness in academia programming.

Submit a poster abstract here. The poster abstract submission deadline is Monday, March 25th, 2024, at 11:59 PM EDT.

Schedule

Day 1: Thursday, April 25th, 2024

Power Imbalance/Mentoring

9:00 AM - 9:05 AM EDT: Opening remarks

9:05 AM - 10:05 AM EDT: Workshop - Power Abuse in Academia

10:15 AM - 11:15 AM EDT: Think Tanks Session 1

11:25 AM - 12:55 PM EDT: Panel discussion - Mentoring in Academia

12:55 PM - 1:00 PM EDT: Closing remarks

Day 2: Thursday, May 2nd, 2024

Diversity in Academia

4:00 PM - 4:05 PM EDT: Opening remarks

4:05 PM - 5:05 PM EDT: Workshop - Neurodiversity in Academia

5:15 PM - 6:15 PM EDT: Think Tanks Session 2

6:25 PM - 7:55 PM EDT: Panel discussion - Diversity in Academia

7:55 PM - 8:00 PM EDT: Closing remarks

About the sessions

Workshops

Workshops are 60-minute sessions created by Dragonfly Mental Health. These sessions include a lecture component and an expert-facilitated discussion on topics to increase mental health literacy.

Posters

This exciting session is a unique platform where presenters from various institutions will share their valuable experiences and insights into implementing mental health initiatives at their respective institutions. The session aims to showcase a diverse range of approaches, providing a comprehensive view of effective mental health strategies, which can include (but not limited to) workshops, podcasts, regular coffee hours, conferences, departmental retreats, and more! Attendees can expect to gain practical knowledge, innovative ideas, and actionable insights that they can leverage in their own institutions.

We invite interested attendees to submit 1,500-character abstracts about their exciting initiatives during the registration process, outlining the details of their initiatives, how they were conducted, and any feedback received. Accepted presenters will then be requested to prepare a single slide (i.e., poster) visualizing their initiatives, which will be posted on our website prior to the event. The committee will organize presenters into themes prior to the session. Within the session, each theme will have a designated Zoom breakout room, where presenters will briefly discuss their initiatives using their non-animated single slides (up to 3 minutes), followed by an open Q&A session with attendees. Attendees will have the flexibility to rotate across breakout rooms as they desire.

Submit a poster here by Monday, March 25th, 2024 at 11:59 PM EDT.

Panel Discussions

These 90-minute sessions will feature a moderator and up to three panelists to share their experiences in academia and mental health. The session will begin with a small introduction given by the moderator, a moderated panel discussion, and will end with audience questions.

Code of Conduct

It is the policy of Mental health - INternationally Delivering Support (MINDS) that all participants, including attendees, MINDS organizers, volunteers, and all other stakeholders at MINDS sessions will conduct themselves in a professional manner that is welcoming to all participants and free from any form of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. Participants will treat each other with respect and consideration to create a collegial, inclusive, and professional environment at the sessions. Creating a supportive environment to enable mental health discourse at MINDS sessions is the responsibility of all attendees.

Participants will avoid any inappropriate actions or statements based on individual characteristics such as sex, age, race, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, nationality, political affiliation, ability status, educational background, or any other characteristic protected by law. Disruptive or harassing behaviour of any kind will not be tolerated. Harassment includes but is not limited to inappropriate or intimidating behaviour and language, unwelcome jokes or comments, offensive images, photography without permission, and stalking.

Violations of this code of conduct policy should be reported to meeting organizers, MINDS co-founders, or the session facilitators. Sanctions may range from verbal warning, to ejection from the meeting without refund, to the notification of appropriate authorities. Retaliation for complaints of inappropriate conduct will not be tolerated. If an attendee observes inappropriate comments or actions and personal intervention seems appropriate and safe, they should be considerate of all parties before intervening.