Short-Term Contracts: A Mental Health Discussion

Women in Research Ireland (RCN 20200957) held an in-person evening conversation on the instability of short-term contracts on 21 June2022. This is the video of the panel discussion was moderated by Dr. Susan Fetics, founding member of Women in Research Ireland.

The evening featured a presentation by mental health professional Lorna Lawless focusing on mental toughness and maintaining a resilient mindset in a volatile world. This was followed by a panel discussion featuring Lorna, Trinity Research Staff Association representative Dr. Michelle Share and Irish Research Staff Association representative Dr. Valesca Lima.

According to a 2017 article from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, many researchers working on short-term contracts experience "...a very strong level of anxiety, demotivation, and mistrust among non-permanent staff members regarding the conditions surrounding their work and professional recognition in higher education and research and their perspectives in the long term".

This precarious situation is happening in Ireland and around the world. Indeed, it is an international problem. Join us for a solution-based conversation where we in Ireland have the opportunity to use our voices to influence global systemic changes.