Episode 285: Miranda Heath on Altruism & Burnout in Open Source

Episode 285: Miranda Heath on Altruism & Burnout in Open Source

From Sustain by SustainOSS

March 6, 2026 · 44 min

About this episode

Miranda Heath discusses her research on altruism and burnout among open source maintainers.

Guest Miranda Heath Panelist Richard Littauer Show Notes In this episode of Sustain, host Richard Littauer is joined by PhD student Miranda Heath to discuss her research on altruism and maintainer burnout in open source, and specifically her report on burn out in open source maintainers . Miranda shares insights from her study on what motivates people to act altruistically and how these behaviors manifest in open source communities. She delves into the common issues maintainers face, such as changing motivations and the systemic challenges that contribute to burnout. Drawing on examples from her research, including kidney donors and open source maintainers, Miranda explores how community support, mentorship, and better funding can help mitigate burnout. The conversation also touches on the unique challenges neurodiverse maintainers face and the importance of creating supportive environments for them. Press download now to hear more! [00:00:44] Richard introduces Miranda Heath, whom he met at FOSDEM, and she’s built a major report on maintainer burnout. [00:02:04] Miranda studies what motivates people to benefit others, how “altruism” is often framed too narrowly, and she points…

People in this episode

Host: Richard Littauer

Guest: Miranda Heath

Topics covered

  • altruism
  • burnout
  • open source
  • maintainers
  • community support
  • neurodiversity

Keywords

  • altruism
  • burnout
  • open source maintainers
  • community support
  • mentorship
  • neurodiversity

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