Catchup – Debate – Is capping hours a cure or a constraint for research burnout?

Should research working hours be capped to reduce burnout? Join Dr Vanessa De la Cruz and Dr Wasiu Balgun for a live debate on 3rd December at 8.00 pm GMT. Watch, ask questions, and cast your vote.

Debate Motion:

This House would cap the number of hours researchers can work each week to reduce burnout.

Burnout is a growing concern in academic research, affecting wellbeing, productivity, and retention. Proposals to cap working hours aim to address these issues directly, but could mandatory limits restrict flexibility and individual autonomy? This debate explores whether structured caps are a viable solution, or if alternative approaches are better suited to supporting researchers’ wellbeing.

Speaker For the Motion:

Dr Vanessa De la Cruz-Góngora is a GBHI Fellow and researcher focused on nutrition in population at the National Institute of Public Health in Mexico. She is Professor of “Nutrition and Aging” course in the Master and Doctorate on Sciences in Nutrition program of the School of Public Health of Mexico. Her research interests on nutrition in population, focuses on the epidemiology of micronutrient deficiencies and anemia; iron absorption and metabolism; nutrition and aging; nutrition and cognitive function in older adults; and the burden of chronic disease in populations (diabetes and stroke).

Speaker Against the Motion:

Dr Wasiu Balogun is a Postdoctoral Associate at University of Pittsburgh. Originally from from Nigeria, he completed his PhD in Malaysia, and is currently working in the Karikari fluid biomarker lab, developing and testing potential biomarkers in human fluids. His motto is work hard and play more.

What to Expect

Join us for a live online debate where our speakers will present opposing views on the continued relevance of animal models in dementia research. The session will include:

• 10-minute opening statements from each speaker
• Moderated discussion
• Audience Q&A
• Live vote before and after the debate to see if opinions shift

Join us to consider how we balance ambition, productivity, and wellbeing in academic life, and whether formal change is necessary to reduce burnout, or if other solutions lie ahead.