Updates from the Software Sustainability Institute

Research Software Camp: Next Steps in Coding

Our latest Research Software Camp ran in May and focused on improving computational and training skills. There was a series of workshops (including developing intermediate research software skills), a mentorship programme and software surgery, as well as resources published on our website. All events were online and free to attend. Read a review on our website: www.software.ac.uk

Ten years of RSE

In March we celebrated the tenth anniversary of the coining of the term Research Software Engineer (RSE) at the SSI’s Collaboration Workshop 2012, reflecting on how far the RSE movement has come over the last decade. People shared how the movement has impacted them using #RSE10years on Twitter.

New SSI Fellows

Earlier this year we welcomed a new cohort of 26 Fellows - including our first four international Fellows! We received many outstanding applications, and our new research software ambassadors represent some of the best people working in – and advocating for – better research software. Find out about the new Fellows at:

www.software.ac.uk/news/announcing-2022-software-sustainability-institu…

Code for Thought podcast

We’ve joined forces with the Code for Thought podcast to bring listeners episodes from the SSI on topics ranging from ‘software horror stories’ to meeting the new SSI Fellows and hearing about their research. Listen to the podcast: https://codeforthought.buzzsprout.com/

Collaborations Workshop 2022

At the start of April we ran our Collaborations Workshop, which focused on the themes of Code Review, Ethics, Hybrid Working, and Software Sustainability. Our Collaborations Workshops bring together researchers, developers, innovators, managers, funders, publishers, policy makers, leaders and educators to explore best practices and the future of research software. Find videos from the event at: www.youtube.com/c/SoftwareSaved

UKRI community studies

The Software Sustainability Institute has been delivering a series of studies of different UKRI communities to better understand their research software needs and requirements.

ESRC study

The Economics and Social Sciences Research Council (ESRC) awarded the SSI funding to conduct a study that improves the understanding of software and data use in projects within the social sciences research areas. The survey of digital methods and software in the social sciences closed in March and we received over 165 responses and also conducted a series of interviews. The data will be analysed and collated into a report that will be submitted to the ESRC and be made available to the public.

AHRC study

Last year we worked with the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to deliver a survey of the digital and software requirements of the AHRC research community. The survey asked about views on digital tools/software, experiences of developing these, and practices and preferences for recruiting help with digital tool/software development. The results will inform AHRC’s digital infrastructure funding to better align with the communities’ needs.

A summary of all research studies carried out by the SSI can be found at:

www.software.ac.uk/research-studies

Read more about the Institute’s work:

www.software.ac.uk