In the this episode, science journalist Izzie Clarke speaks with Lori Foster, President of the International Association of Applied Psychology, and Yensi Flores Bueso, Co-Chair of the Global Young Academy, about the mental health and well-being of early- and mid-career researchers. 

The discussion explores how structural pressures – from precarious contracts and hyper-competition to cultural expectations of constant productivity – affect motivation, collaboration, and mental resilience across the research ecosystem. Both guests highlight that protecting researchers’ well-being is not only a moral duty but essential for the sustainability and creativity of science itself.