In this webcast from Nature Careers’ webinar programme, which is now available to view on demand, scientists describe their experiences of working from home and looking after children while laboratories and offices were closed during pandemic lockdowns. What advice do they have for staying healthy and productive?
Anne-Laure Mahul Mellier, a neurobiologist at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, talks about juggling work and parenting responsibilities during the first month of the coronavirus pandemic. She recalls switching between Zoom calls and her children, as each demanded her attention.
Next, we hear from a single parent and postdoctoral researcher at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology in Wageningen. Antica Culina explains how she adjusted her goals to help maintain structure in her personal and professional lives.
“It’s very important that people are comfortable about disclosing their situation with others. My colleagues know I’m a single mother and sometimes am not at work at all because I have something else to deal with,” says Culina. “We need to teach ourselves that others will understand our situation.”
Finally, Jeremy Grabbe, a psychologist at the State University of New York Plattsburgh, describes how he used the scientific process to help his children to understand the pandemic — easing their initial anxiety. The session ended with a live Q&A.
This webcast was screened live in July 2020, and forms part of a series developed to support researchers navigating the pandemic.