Evan Jamieson has two doctorates: one in chemistry and another in civil engineering. He has worked in the resource sector for more than 20 years and is a professor at the John De Laeter Centre at Curtin University. Evan is a volunteer speaker for beyondblue, a national organisation that works to raise awareness about anxiety and depression, reduce the associated stigma and encourage people to get help. Evan became a beyondblue volunteer speaker because he wanted to help dispel the myth that mental illness has anything to do with mental ability ... apart from the word mental! He also wanted to ensure that everyone knows that the ‘black dog’ lies; there is always hope. Evan has an interest in genealogy and loves to teach drama to school children to help them learn how to cope with stressful situations. He describes his crowning achievement as having met his wife at 17 and marrying her by the age of 21. As a disclaimer, this session will involve discussion of a personal story and experiences with a mental condition and may touch on the theme of suicidality. For some of you, it may be difficult hear this story, especially if you have experienced a mental health condition yourself, or supported a friend or family member. The talk is completely optional and if you’re worried that the content may be triggering or upsetting you don’t have to stay and you may also leave at any time during the presentation. If you attend Evan’s talk, we encourage you to check in with yourself and your workmates/friends/peers afterwards. If you are feeling impacted, please reach out to our EAP, the Beyond Blue support service, or Lifeline on 13 11 14 for support. We will also have a more detailed list of contacts at the end of the session.