WTS ELECTION 2024

ELECTION PROCESS

ELECTION CANDIDATES

Position: ICOH Chair (1 x nominee)

Imelda Wong

It is with great enthusiasm that I would like to serve as your Chair for the ICOH Scientific Committee on Shiftwork and Working Time. I have been a member of the Working Time Society Executive Board since 2012 and, in recent years, a co-opted member. I have been an ICOH member since 2018, and remain in good standing.

As an occupational hygienist and epidemiologist, and a civilian in the United States Public Health Service I am dedicated to the health and wellbeing of all workers. My primary research focus has been on identifying the risks and adverse health and safety consequences related to nonstandard schedules such as shift work and extended work hours. In my current role at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, I have recently helped to launch the Center for Work and Fatigue Research and serve as the lead Subject Matter Expert on the topics of nonstandard work hours, sleep and fatigue. I was a Co-Chair for the Working Time Society’s International Consensus Statements published in a special themed issue of Industrial Health in 2019. Most recently, I co-authored a Cochrane Review to examine the effectiveness of different work scheduling practices to reduce sleepiness and reduce sleep.

Aside from my scientific contributions, I am committed to fostering the development of new occupational health and safety researchers. I have mentored over 50 graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and early- and mid-career researchers. All have gone onto successful and impactful careers in academia, industry and non-profit organizations. I also am committed to creating international networks so that we share lessons learned and work together to ensure worker health and safety.

As your Chair for the ICOH Scientific Committee on Shiftwork and Working Time, my primary goal is to continue the Board has done to grow our membership and include diverse interests, disciplines and cultures by:

– Fostering new researchers on the topic of nonstandard work hours, sleep and fatigue.

– Creating new, international networks to encourage collaborative efforts. I hope to solicit more involvement from researchers located in developing countries, and work together with other ICOH Scientific Committees such as Work Organization and Psychosocial Factors, Aging and Work, Mining Occupational Safety and Health, Industrial Hygiene, and Occupational Health for Health Workers.

I look forward to exchanging ideas with all of you to build new directions for scientific research and organizational activities.

Position: WTS PRESIDENT (1 x nominee)

Kimberley Honn

I am a tenured Associate Professor at Washington State University researching sleep loss, shiftwork, and performance, applying for WTS President. I was honored to co-chair Shiftwork2019 and currently serve on the WTS board. I was guest editor of Chronobiology International special issues twice featuring WTS proceedings and was a consensus paper author. The pandemic has made it hard to maintain the strong sense of community that characterizes the WTS membership and the momentum that was built. My priority as President will be to reestablish and strengthen this community as we resume in-person symposia. Another challenge we face is disseminating the Society’s knowledge across international, diverse, and underrepresented audiences. I aim to diversify our membership in technical and geographic background, and to build capacity in our field by opening our meetings and events in hybrid fashion when possible, creating networks of research communities aimed at improving shiftworker health, performance, and safety.

Position: WTS secretary (1 x nominee)

Helene Garde

I am a research professor at the National Research Centre for the Working Environment (NFA) in Copenhagen, Denmark researching in sleep, circadian rhythm, health and accidents among shift workers. I aim to improving health and safety of shift workers through obtaining and dissemination of knowledge to researchers and practitioners. Therefore, I find the work done by the WTS very valuable and have supported this by chairing the organization of the Shiftwork symposium in 2015 and as a guest editor of two WTS proceedings. During my time as a member of the WTS board dissemination of knowledge and inclusion has been in focus. I now apply as WTS secretary. As a secretary, I will continue to support the work by the president and the WTS in strengthening the community and build an open and inclusive network across research interests and geography with a special focus on young researchers.

Position: WTS TREASURER (1 x nominee)

Nils Backhaus

I am the Head of the Working Time and Flexibilisation Unit at the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA). I am also responsible for overseeing the BAuA-Working Time Survey, which provides insights into the working time patterns and trends in Germany. I have been working as a researcher and policy advisor in the field of working time and telework since 2018. My academic journey includes a degree and a Ph.D. in Psychology respectively Human Factors.

As a relatively new but dedicated member of the WTS, I would like to aim for three goals in particular. First, I am committed to promoting the biennial Working Time Symposia, enhancing its prominence on the global stage. Furthermore, I recognize the need for greater (geographical) diversity within our society. We must continue to foster a culture of inclusivity, encouraging participation and collaboration from members across the globe. Lastly, I am dedicated to enhancing the transfer of our research findings into real-world politics and practices. I believe that our work should have a tangible impact on improving working time standards and regulations.

Position: WTS BOARD (10 x nominees)

Jaime Devine

My goal is to improve the lives of workers by increasing protections around their safety, wellbeing, and working hours. I currently work towards that goal as the Director of Sleep Science at the Institutes for Behavior Resources (IBR) Operational Fatigue and Performance Unit. I offer research and analytic support to aviation, military, transportation, and shift-working industries and guidance on best use of the SAFTE-FAST biomathematical modeling software. I would like to serve on the WTS Board so that I can advocate for working communities more effectively. I am willing to serve a 3-year term and would like to focus on translating research findings into policy or products that directly benefit working populations.

Here is my LinkedIn account: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaime-k-devine-phd-6144516b/ and Google Scholar profile with publications: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=DiOLIUgAAAAJ&hl=en

Frida Marina Fischer

Over several decades, I have studied the impact of workload and the work organization on the health of workers. Those were presented in scientific meetings, as well as for trade unions, night shift workers and the general public, something for which I continue to be a strong advocate. I have been a member of the ICOH SC Shiftwork and Working Time since 1983. During the 90’s I was elected to the board of the Working Time Society (WTS). Later, in 2013, I was elected as President of the WTS, which continue for two terms. I am running to be a board member during the next triennium of WTS. I hope to continue to disseminate and help to organize WTS meetings and its products (scientific meetings, webinars, and publications), as well as encouraging occupational health researchers and professionals to join the WTS. I hope to have your vote in the next WTS Board elections.

Anastasi ‘Stas’ Kosmadopoulos

I am currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Appleton Institute, Central Queensland University, and I have been a member of the Working Time Society for the past 10 years. Over this time, I have been dedicated to investigating problems and potential solutions that are relevant and practical for industries grappling with the challenges of shift work – especially as it concerns the interplay between circadian rhythms, sleep, and fatigue in diverse populations. Over the next 3-year term I am willing to contribute my skills within the WTS board to: promote interdisciplinary collaboration in research of working time; represent scientific and professional interests of researchers in this field; disseminate knowledge about the effects of working time; and advocate for evidence-based policies. For more details about my publications, please refer to my profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=3HZmVNsAAAAJ.

Tomohide Kubo

Tomohide Kubo, Ph.D, has been working as a senior researcher in Japan NIOSH since 2018. My research focuses on occupational fatigue and recovery toward sustainable healthy workplace. I have been studying how shift work intervention (e.g., napping, worktime control, and changing shift schedule) could be beneficial on reducing fatigue and stress among shift workers. Also, I have experience as the field editor (Ergonomics field) of Journal of Occupational Health, the guest editor of Chronobiology International, and a visiting researcher in Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.

I first participated in WTS at the 2001 meeting in Hayama, Japan. So far, I have been inspired by many WTS friends. Therefore, I hope that, if I become a board member, I could provide good opportunities to foster friendships among all WTS members. My primary goal is to enhance a WTS participation among Asian countries, and encourage international collaborations.  https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tomohide-Kubo

Heidi Lammer van der Holst

I’m enthusiastic to serve the WTS board as a new executive member for three years. The WTS community has significantly influenced my scientific path since my first WTS symposium in Brazil, 2001. I would like to enhance the WTS’ visibility by endorsing dissemination of scientific knowledge (consensus papers, proceedings and meetings) benefiting both researchers and diverse stakeholders in our 24/7 modern society. Thereby, contributing to the overarching goal of improving shift workers’ safety and health.

I have a strong background in applied research across healthcare, law enforcement, and industry, with a focus on understanding health risk mechanisms through biomarker studies and developing circadian-based strategies to improve shift workers' well-being and performance. After being a postdoc at the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, I became an Assistant Professor in Occupational Health at Erasmus MC in the Netherlands, in 2023. Researchgate: Heidi Lammers-van der Holst (researchgate.net)

Ro-Ting Lin

Dr. Ro-Ting Lin received her B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. degrees from College of Public Health (CEPH-accredited), National Taiwan University, Taiwan.

Dr. Ro-Ting Lin is an Associate Professor at China Medical University, Taiwan, and the Secretary-General of the Taiwan Occupational Hygiene Association. She holds an Honorary Associate position at the Asbestos and Dust Research Diseases Institute, Australia and a Visiting Associate Professor at Chiba University, Japan. Her research focuses on environmental and occupational health epidemiology and corporate initiatives for worker health.

She has served as a Research Associate at the University of Occupational and Environmental Health (Japan), a Takemi Fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (USA), and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (Taiwan). Her expertise complements her hands-on experience—nearly six years at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), where she led corporate-level research in environmental and occupational health. Through her involvement, she has played a significant role in promoting occupational health practices.

Kyriaki Papantoniou

I would very enthusiastically serve the WTS board for another 3 years as an executive board member. If re-elected I will strive to increase the visibility and diversity of the society and encourage more international interdisciplinary collaborations with the ultimate goal to prevent shift work related diseases and injuries and promote healthier and safer shift schedules.

I am a shift work researcher trained in Medicine (MD, University of Patras, Greece) and Epidemiology (PhD, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain), with international research collaborations (Surrey University, UK and Harvard Medical School, USA). I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna in Austria and an Associated Researcher in the Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain. My research activities focus on the effects of night shift work on chronic disease outcomes and characterizing key biological and behavioral underlying mechanisms in human epidemiologic studies and interventions.

Mikael Sallinen

I have been working at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health since 1994, with the main emphasis on working time and sleep research. Currently I work as a research manager at FIOH and lead a Workload and Recovery team of 20 researchers. I also act as an adjunct professor at the University of Jyväskylä and have served as a board member of the Working Time Society (2021-2023), the Finnish Sleep Research Society, and the Finnish Traffic Medicine Association.

Since my first WTS meeting in 1997, I have been an active member in the society. As a board member over the next 3 years, I would particularly like to advance the use of research knowledge in the development of working hours in workplaces. To this end, it is important that the society will continue to serve as a shared platform for researchers, consultants, and stakeholders. It is also essential that we continue to develop ways to support young researchers and people from developing countries to participate in WTS activities.

Charli Sargent

I am an Associate Professor at the Appleton Institute for Behavioural Science (CQUniversity, Australia).  A major part of my research is focused on the effects of shiftwork – including optimal sleep/wake schedules, effects of ambient lighting, and potential countermeasures.  I have been a member of WTS since attending the Venice symposium (2009) and I was a member of the Organising Committee and Scientific Committee for the Uluru symposium (2017).  If elected, I would act as an Australasian representative on the Board of our global society.  My priorities would be to foster international research collaborations between WTS members, encourage the support and development of early-career researchers (students/post-docs), and ensure the successful return of our biennial symposiums after a covid-induced hiatus (beginning with Brazil 2025!).  And if elected, I would be very happy to receive feedback from members from all countries and take suggestions to the Board for the continued improvement of WTS.

Position: WTS AUDITOR (2 x nominees)

Lee DiMillia

It would be my pleasure to serve the WTS Board in the next triennial period by focusing on its financial accountability to its members. Prior to becoming Dean of Faculty in 2013, I actively contributed to the WTS conferences beginning in Sheffield (1991), by organizing a conference in Australia (2007), guest editor of the journal publications resulting from three WTS conferences, and as a board member until about 2010.

Dorothee Fischer

I am a senior research fellow at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), working in the interdisciplinary fields of chronobiology, sleep, and shift work research. After completing my PhD in Till Roenneberg’s lab on sleep-wake behavior in rotating shift workers, I moved to Boston, USA, to work with Drs. David Lombardi and Simon Folkard on a risk index model to estimate occupational injury risk in different work schedules. My current research focuses on causes and consequences of irregular sleep as a proxy for circadian disruption in occupational settings, using large cohort data and mathematical modeling. I would like to serve as auditor for the WTS because it is a way to serve the wider working time research community. Societies are vital for us to establish networks, disseminate our work, help inform the public, and make sure we stay relevant. I am willing to serve the 3-year term. Google Scholar profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=j9FlOlYAAAAJ&hl=en

Position: WTS CO-OPTED (2 x nominees)

Thomas Kantermann

As a researcher and consultant, my motivation is to carry out activities with and for society. The Working Time Society has been an intellectual haven and scientific hub for me for many years, which fits my concerns perfectly. From 2014 to 2020 I was an active member of the WTS board. I have since been co-opted onto the WST board. I am ready to serve the three-year term again as a co-opted board member. My priority is to promote and disseminate science-based knowledge and to initiate and support processes aimed at leading to new science-based knowledge and tools. My goal is to support the WTS board – where possible and necessary – in fulfilling its purpose and actions in the best possible way.

Greg Roach

I am a Professor in The Sleep Lab at the Adelaide Campus of CQUniversity in South Australia. I have been a Director of the Working Time Society for the past 6 years and I am expressing an interest in potentially being co-opted to the to the Board for the next term. The research I conduct that is of relevance to the Working Time Society includes (a) basic physiology and psychology of the human circadian system, (b) the impact of irregular work schedules on the sleep/wake behavior, neurobehavioural function, and health outcomes of shiftworkers, and (c) the development of technologies and systems to manage the fatigue risk associated with shiftwork. If co-opted to the Board, my priorities would be to increase membership of the WTS in Australia, encourage the exchange of people/ideas between the universities/organisations operated by WTS members all over the world, and grow the online presence of the Working Time Society through our social media and website.