Flourish mentally

Find services to support your mental and health and wellbeing, and learn how to recognise when you need help.

Dark haired woman sitting on a bench

UNSW Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences has staff trained in mental health first aid. Together with UNSW Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, our school supports mental wellbeing through the Flourish Mentally initiative. 

Did you know that university students are three times more likely to suffer from psychological distress? The warning signs include: 

  • Academic: loss of motivation, decline in quality of work and avoiding participation. 
  • Physical: extreme fatigue, complaints of sleep problems and physical health complaints. 
  • Emotional: irritability, frequently tearful and sustained low mood.
  • Behavioural: poor self-care, extreme dependency on staff, excessively demanding of others and withdrawing from friends and family. 

To access support, visit the UNSW Counselling and Psychological Services website. If you have any questions or concerns about the mental health of yourself or another, please contact one of our mental health first aid officers. 

Mental Health First Aid Officers

Lucy Dobson 

Admin Assistant, Bio Sci North, 520 

T: 9385 9443 

E: lucy.dobson@unsw.edu.au

Brenda Hartley

Project Officer, Bio Sci North, 520 

T: 9385 2029 

E: b.hartley@unsw.edu.au

Tim Nguyen 

Technical Officer, Bio Sci North, 220 

T: 9385 2023 

E: thinh.nguyen@unsw.edu.au

Jonathan Russell 

Administrative Officer, Bio Sci North, 520 

T: 9385 0637 

E: j.russell@unsw.edu.au  

Biljana Ilkovski 

Laboratory Manager, Bio Sci South, L3 West 

T: 9385 1690 

E: b.ilkovski@unsw.edu.au 

Melissa Hart 

Associate Professor, Mathews L4 

T: 9385 6263 

E: melissa.hart@unsw.edu.au  

Mira van der Ley 

Snr. Tech. Officer, Bio Sci South, LG015 

T: +61 400 719 861 

E: m.vanderley@unsw.edu.au

Bernadette Phu 

Technical Officer, Bio Sci South, G004 

T: +61 290 657 593

E: bernadette.phu@unsw.edu.au  

Sexual misconduct first responders 

If you’re a UNSW staff member or student who has experienced sexual assault, harassment or misconduct, you can gain support by visiting UNSW Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. 

If you’d like to talk with someone in person, we have trained Sexual Misconduct First Responders that can provide you with one-on-one support. First Responders understand that reporting sexual misconduct can be difficult. They’re not counsellors but are trained to provide an appropriate initial response to your concerns and guide you to the right services.

Mira van der Ley 

First Responder, Room LG015, Building E26 

T: +61 400 719 861 

E: m.vanderley@unsw.edu.au  

Wellbeing, health & safety 

UNSW is committed to delivering a high quality, well-rounded academic experience. If you need help with your personal life or getting your academic success on track, there are people and services available for support. 

Achieve and maintain wellbeing with our free Employee Assistance Program.

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