High-Level Webinar: Eureka 2.0 - Why Recognising Scientific Software Experts is Key to Open Science

Speakers and presentations

• Simon Hettrick, deputy director of the Software Sustainability Institute and co-director of Southampton Research Software Group
  Why recognising scientific software experts is key to open science
• David Osimo, Director of Research at The Lisbon Council
  
  13 JUNE 2019

  Eureka 2.0: Introduction to Open Science Monitor

  English

  (6.16 MB - PDF)

  Download
• Jon Switters, author, RSE case study, Open Science Monitor

Description

Software is becoming increasingly important across all scientific disciplines, but its role is often overlooked in assessing academic careers. There, success is still too often determined by articles, citations and the so-called "impact factor" of publications. This is not just a problem for software developers; it also contributes to the “reproducibility crisis” of science. If there is no official recognition for writing world-leading scientific software, there are no incentives to publish it and research findings can’t be reproduced.

At this high-level webinar, Simon Hettrick, deputy director of the Software Sustainability Institute and co-director of Southampton Research Software Group, presented the work underway in the United Kingdom and elsewhere to promote, recognise and reward the work of software engineers in the pursuit of science.

Dr. Hettrick looked at the challenges software engineers face in the scientific field, such as a general lack of recognition of the work they do and a lack of attractive career paths. He also explored the policy changes needed to deepen Europe’s footprint in this key area, including the creation of the UK Research Software Engineers Association (UKRSE), an association which now has more than 1,400 members and has inspired the creation of similar groups in Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and other countries.

Dr Hettrick was joined at this registration-only webinar by leading experts from the Open Science Monitor for a discussion of challenges – and solutions, including the need for better career paths and appropriate reward structures.

The webinar drew on the recent case study on Recognising the Importance of Software in Research - Research Software Engineers (RSEs), a UK Example, conducted by the Open Science Monitor project.