Updates from the Software Sustainability Institute

Collaborations Workshop 2023

The Software Sustainability Institute’s Collaborations Workshop series brings together researchers, developers, innovators, managers, funders, publishers, policymakers, leaders and educators to explore best practices and the future of research software. Collaborations Workshop 2023 (CW23) will take place as a hybrid event in Manchester, UK from Tuesday 2 May to Thursday 4 May 2023. This year’s theme is Sustainable Career Development for those in the research software community: looking after your software, your career, and yourself. The theme encompasses technical, career, and personal development and aims to explore ways in which RSEs can develop their skills and progress their career while always taking care of their mental health and well-being.

Find out more at https://software.ac.uk/cw23

Research Software Camp

The Research Software Camps (RSCs) help address the lack of software skills in research through free online introductory workshops and resources. The RSCs allow researchers with limited or no experience in software engineering to learn new coding skills and receive personal guidance in a welcoming and supportive environment. The next Research Software Camp will be held from Monday 19 June to Friday 30 June 2023. It will include a panel discussion, basic skills workshops (R, Python, visualisation, etc.) and a mentorship programme. Curated online resources will be published throughout the two weeks of the Camp, addressing varying approaches to learning to code in academia.

Find out more at https://www.software.ac.uk/research-software-camps

Software Sustainability Institute 2023 Fellows

Earlier this year the Software Sustainability Institute hosted the 2023 Fellows Inaugural Meeting to welcome this year’s cohort. The Fellowship Programme provides funding for individuals who want to improve how research software is used in their domains, fields, and areas of work. This funding can be used for any activities that meet both the Fellow’s and the Institute’s goals, such as organising or travelling to workshops, nurturing or contributing to communities of practice, running training events, collaborating with other Fellows, or for any other activities that relate to improving computational practice or policy.

Find out more at https://software.ac.uk/programmes-and-events/fellowship-programme

Report on the AHRC Digital/Software Requirements Survey

The Software Sustainability Insitute has recently published the Report on the AHRC Digital/Software Requirements Survey 2021. The original survey run by the SSI on the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UKRI AHRC) community aimed to understand the views on digital/software tools, the experience of developing such tools, the practices, learning intentions and preferences around how to resource projects involving digital/software. The report concluded that there was a clear demand - and need - to provide software training, improve recognition of software outputs, and expand resources for software skills and techniques in the arts and humanities communities.

Find out more at https://www.software.ac.uk/blog/2023-03-01-report-ahrc-digitalsoftware-…

Code For Thought

Earlier this year, the Code For Thought podcast hosted by SSI Fellow Peter Schmidt celebrated its second anniversary. EPCC’s own Weronika Filinger joined Peter Schmidt on the latest episode to discuss the importance of training. Although there are many opportunities available for RSEs like the Code Refineries and various Carpentries, there is a considerable gap between the demand for experienced engineers and the amount of training provided, which is unsustainable long-term.

Find out more about their discussion and other episodes of Code For Thought at https://www.software.ac.uk/tags/code-thought