Academic Wellness and Mental Health Book Series

The Global Perspectives on Academic Wellness and Mental Health series provides a multidisciplinary platform to explore critical issues surrounding mental health, well-being, and resilience in academic settings. This series focuses on the experiences of students, faculty, staff, and administrators across diverse educational institutions, emphasizing innovative strategies, policies, and practices to promote holistic academic wellness.

Scope and Focus
This series addresses a wide range of topics related to mental health and wellness in academia, applicable to all educational levels and disciplines:

• Mental Health Challenges in Academia: Stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout among students, faculty, and staff.
• Support Systems and Resources: Institutional frameworks, counseling services, peer support, and crisis intervention programs.
• Academic Stress and Performance: Balancing academic demands with personal well-being, managing time, and fostering resilience.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Mental health challenges faced by underrepresented and marginalized groups in academia.
• Wellness Strategies and Interventions: Mindfulness, self-care, and evidence-based practices for improving academic wellness.
• Policy and Advocacy: Institutional and governmental roles in shaping mental health policies and reducing stigma.
• Global and Cultural Perspectives: Examining mental health and wellness across diverse cultural and institutional contexts.
• Technology and Mental Health: The role of digital tools, online learning, and telehealth in addressing academic wellness.

Suggested Topics

• Addressing mental health stigma in academic environments.
• Strategies to support well-being during transitions, such as starting college or entering postdoctoral positions.
• Promoting equity and access to mental health resources for marginalized groups.
• The impact of academic culture on mental health and strategies for positive change.
• Resilience and coping strategies for students and faculty.
• Institutional policies and their role in supporting mental health.
• Mental health challenges and interventions in virtual and hybrid learning environments.
• Global approaches to academic wellness and mental health.

We invite proposals for authored or edited volumes (max 10 chapters) addressing these and related topics. Contributions that emphasize global, interdisciplinary, and inclusive approaches to academic wellness and mental health are particularly encouraged. For questions and comments, contact us at publications@starscholars.org

Editors:

Vasundharaa S. Nair
Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean – Academic Affairs, Jindal Institute of Behavioural Sciences, O.P. Jindal Global University, India
Email: vasundharaa.nair@gmail.com

Short Bio:
Dr. Vasundharaa S. Nair is an Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean–Academic Affairs at the Jindal Institute of Behavioural Sciences (JIBS), O.P. Jindal Global University. She completed her MPhil and PhD in Psychiatric Social Work at NIMHANS, where her doctoral research focused on developing a checklist of social determinants of health. A trained psychotherapist, she provides care for psychiatric and neurological conditions across individual and family settings. Her current research centers on family therapy, student mental health, social determinants of health in non-communicable diseases, climate change, and inclusive education.

Dr. Sannet Thomas
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, India
Email: thomassannet@gmail.com

Dr. Sannet Thomas is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, India. His research focuses on applied and indigenous psychology, mental health, psychometrics, cognitive health, community well-being, and culturally responsive interventions. He has published in national and international outlets and contributes to research, reviewing, and academic training in psychology and related fields.