Cristian Gil, researcher in the Energy Technology Group at CINTECX and February’s featured profile in the center’s 2026 illustrated calendar, shares his experience as part of the CINTECX Open Camera initiative.
With over a decade of work in fluid simulation applied to transport and energy efficiency, he highlights how his career has evolved since joining the center in 2013, following his academic training at the Technical University of Munich.
In recent years, he has taken on new responsibilities, including teaching and participating in increasingly complex projects, but he says the biggest change came with fatherhood. Taking paternity leave and benefiting from the lactation period allowed him to strengthen the bond with his daughter and reorganize his family routine without slowing down his scientific career.
Flexibility and commitment: the pillars of balancing science and caregiving
Cristian explains that flexible working hours have been key to managing his daily life, especially when unexpected events or childhood illnesses arise. He emphasizes that an organization based on trust and goal achievement is essential to make work-life balance viable and real, and he acknowledges that not all families enjoy the same support in their work environments.
He also points out areas for improvement that could enhance work-life balance within the university community, such as reviving the proposal for an on-campus childcare center or reconsidering the requirement for international research stays, which are often hard to reconcile with parenting. For him, research is a rewarding and diverse career path that should be presented to students as an accessible and relatable option.
In his closing message, he stresses that “research institutions must continue to support people so they don’t have to give up their aspirations in order to care for their families,” and he encourages future generations to pursue science without fear of sacrificing their personal lives: “You don’t have to choose one or the other; it is possible to balance both.”
The full interview is available on the CINTECX YouTube channel via the following link.