Abstract: The mental health of undergraduate engineering students has become a growing concern in recent years, with increasing research drawing connections between the culture of engineering education and student well-being. Despite initiatives aimed at addressing these issues, many students face significant mental health challenges that impact their academic performance and overall well-being. This study explores the intersection of mental health and engineering education, specifically focusing on the role that professors and peers play in influencing the mental health of undergraduate engineering students. This seminar will present on qualitative interview data collected through a single-institution study. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to identify how professors and peers influence undergraduate engineering students’ self-reported mental health.

Biography: Nosakhare Idiaghe is a third-year doctoral candidate of Engineering Education Research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he is also pursuing a master’s in engineering management. His research focuses on bridging the gap between academic training and workplace expectations, exploring how students’ educational experiences shape their transition and experiences in professional engineering roles. His work spans multiple areas, including engineering students’ well-being, undergraduate research experiences, and the intercultural competence development of graduate students. Before moving to the United States, he earned a master’s degree in industrial engineering and a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Benin in Nigeria. Beyond research, Nosa is deeply committed to leadership and service. He currently serves as the President of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) at UNL, Vice President of the International Students Fellowship, and Co-Chair of the Quality-of-Life Committee for the Graduate Student Assembly.