Mad Topics

Mad Topics: What is it?

Welcome to the hub of Mad Topics, a holistic, international, and interdisciplinary framework of praxis, research, and education! Mad Topics provides various forms of scholarship, resources, and more related to mental health literacy, with a focus on sharing the lived experiences of Mad persons: Lived experience = expertise.

The term “Mad Topics” was created by Dr. Kinsey Simone to represent action research and praxis within the context of “Mad Studies”, or a research field which examines the lived experiences of people who would have previously been termed “Mad”, such as those with mental disorders or disabilities (International Mad Studies Journal, 2025). Since its launch with the first symposium on obsessive-compulsive and attention deficit hyperactivity, Mad Topics has reached over 1,000 persons in outreach, support, and connection. In 2025, the second annual symposium on anxiety and depression was hosted. Currently, Mad Topics supports 20+ students who are MAD Scholars or contribute service to praxis and research surrounding Madness. The MAD Scholars program, MAD = Mad-Identified & Allies of (invisible) Disabilities(ness), is a support staff of undergraduate and graduate students that works closely with our program and research team. Currently, MAD Scholars represent all nine colleges across campus and are making an impact in research, service, outreach, and more.

Mad Topics praxis includes community scholarship and service, as well as internal outreach events and scholarship. Symposia panels each reached 200+ individuals, with research by the Mad Topics Research Team (first quantitative Mad Study to be published coming soon) indicating effectiveness of these symposia in perceived increased  awareness and empathy around mental health Issues and (invisible) disabilities. We are thrilled to announce our nomination for the 2026 Grawemeyer Award, in which Dr. Simone and Mad Topics were nominated by the Tn Tech College of Education & Human Sciences in May 2025. This award “recognize[s] highly constructive ideas with world changing potential” (see more here). Additionally, we are excited to announce that Mad Topics has been invited as an Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA) institutional member, beginning in July 2025, a spot usually reserved for licensed groups, such as clinical professionals.

We invite you to explore our Mad Topics website, where you will find mental health resources, research and publication links, how to get involved, and information on our past panels.

• » Meet our Founder: Dr. Kinsey Simone

  Meet the Founder, Dr. Kinsey Simone

  Dr. Kinsey Simone is an interdisciplinary researcher, educator, and founder of Mad Topics: Symposia & Praxis in Education, a community-rooted framework that bridges research, lived experience, and public engagement to challenge mental health stigma and reimagine how knowledge is produced and shared. She serves as an instructor of quantitative research methods in education and earned her Ph.D. in Program Planning and Evaluation from Tennessee Technological University.

  Dr. Simone’s work centers on mental health, trauma-informed practice, and systems-level change, with particular attention to societal perceptions of and stigma toward obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). She is the developer of Care as Governance, a theoretical framework that examines how systems of care can function as mechanisms of regulation, shaping identity, behavior, and power across educational and social contexts. Her scholarship explores how educational interventions, storytelling, and community-based events can increase empathy, shift narratives, and create more inclusive learning and social environments.

  As the founder and director of Mad Topics, Dr. Simone has developed an innovative model that integrates mixed-methods research, evaluation, and participatory praxis. Since its launch in 2024, Mad Topics has engaged over 1,000 students, educators, practitioners, and community members through symposia, panels, and collaborative initiatives. The work has expanded internationally, with partnerships in China and Slovenia, and has informed the first quantitative Mad Studies project (accepted by SAGE in 2024). Mad Topics has been nominated for the Grawemeyer Award in Education, recognizing its potential for transformative impact in educational innovation.

  Dr. Simone’s broader research and evaluation portfolio includes NSF-funded work in STEM education and international collaborations spanning China, Slovenia, Russia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and the Philippines. Her approach is grounded in mixed-methods inquiry, predictive modeling, and field-based observation, with a strong commitment to ethical, inclusive, and community-engaged research practices. She currently serves as Chair of the Educational Evaluation Topical Interest Group (TIG) of the American Evaluation Association, where she supports interdisciplinary dialogue and advances innovative approaches to evaluation.

  Her publications span peer-reviewed journals and applied outlets, including the International Journal of Curriculum & Instruction, Journal of Global Education and Research, Asian Journal of Inclusive Education, Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, as well as contributions to the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), the Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA), and the American Evaluation Association.

  Beyond academia, Dr. Simone is a musician and songwriter who views creative practice as central to her scholarly work. Her background in cello performance, along with her work in songwriting and poetry, informs her approach to empathy, communication, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

  Read some of her Mad Topics-related work below, featured on organizations such as the Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA) and the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF).

 

Publication

The First Quantitative Mad Study in the World!

Perhaps you are familiar with, or have even attended, a Mad Topics Symposium. Our team is passionate about the effectiveness of this forum, and we have recently conducted the first quantitative contribution to Mad Studies. This research explores the overall effectiveness and perceptions of educational panels, using data collected from our Mad Topics panel on OCD and ADHD.

If you would like to learn more about our findings, you can access the paper through the link below:

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/19394225251376735 

We are eager to continue the conversation around Mad Topics, the effectiveness of forums such as the Mad Topics Symposium, and our mission to place those with lived experience and clinical perspectives on equal footing to support all who engage with Mad Topics.

 

Additional Mad Topics Information

» 2025 Mad Topics International Graduate Student Speaker Series
» 2025 Mad Topics: Anxiety & Depression
» Mad Topics: Extra Resources
» Get Involved: Student Worker & Service Hours
» View the Lending Library Flyer

Talking about mental health can sometimes be uncomfortable. We have mental health professionals at all Mad Topics events who are available to direct attendees to supportive resources. Virtual attendees and readers at any point can call the TN Tech Center for Counseling and Mental Wellness at 931-372-3331 or the Eagle Eye After Hours Crisis Hotline at 855-206-8997. You can also call 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, for free and confidential support 24/7.

CENTER FOR COUNSELING AND MENTAL HEALTH WELLNESS

Did you know?

• Some courses offer students extra credit for attending Mad Topics!
• Educators can receive Professional Development Hours for attending Mad Topics!
• Licensed mental health professionals should determine whether this panel is suitable for Continuing Education Unit (CEU) hours for their division, as per Board of Psychology requirements. Mad Topics symposia aligns with requirements for a professional workshop (see 1180-01-.08, 2.C.2.) and/or academic preparation (see 1180-01-.08, 2.D.ii), and could also pertain to cultural diversity due to discussion of disability stigmas (see 1180-01.-08, 1.d.). It is up to each licensed professional to determine the merit of this event for their specific CE requirements.

To learn more about getting involved with IMPACT TN Tech, Mad Topics Scholars Program, being a campus sponsor, extra credit, PD, and/or CEU opportunities, email Dr. Kinsey Simone at madtopics@tntech.edu.