Building Capability and Support in Research Software

“软件是现代科学中使用的所有工具中最普遍的”[Goble 2014]。科学软件不仅被广泛使用[SSI 2014]，而且也被广泛开发。然而，其中很大一部分是由研究人员开发的，他们甚至对现代软件开发的基础知识知之甚少，这对他们的生产力以及他们的软件的可靠性、可读性和再现性都有连锁反应[自然生物技术]。许多都是以小组形式工作的长尾研究人员--即使是像SKA这样的大科学行动也是由个人集体进行的。软件领域的技术开发更像是悬崖峭壁，而不是阶梯--通往顶端和解决方案的途径有很多。此外，悬崖表面是动态的--随着新技术的出现和衰落，不断和快速地变化。决定部署哪些技术以及如何最好地部署这些技术本身就是一个专业领域，具有许多传统研究的特点。研究人员需要赋权和培训，以使他们对可用的设备和他们面临的挑战充满信心。这一角色类似于高山导游，包括支持、指导和负重。当表现最佳时，研究人员知道他们可以独自应对哪些挑战，以及他们在哪里需要适当的支持。向导可以帮助决定在这个动态的环境中导航时是利用人们熟悉的道路还是探索新的可能性。这些向导是训练有素、以技术为中心、具有研究意识的个人，他们具有好奇心驱动型的天性，致力于通过打造研究软件支持职业来支持研究人员。这样的研究软件工程师(RSE)引导研究人员通过技术版图，并在科学家和计算机之间形成人机界面。一个运作良好的RSE小组不仅会增加一个组织的效率，还会产生乘数效应，因为它会让每个研究人员都更有效率。我的工作计划提供了一种自下而上的方法来提供RSE服务，这种方法有别于EPRSC资助的软件可持续发展研究所提供的自上而下的方法。这一奖学金的结果将是：地方和国家RSE能力：谢菲尔德的RSE小组是其他人推动英国国家研究软件能力的可信路线图；和国家RSE持续专业发展计划。可扩展的软件支持方法：一种基于“轻推”的可扩展方法，为科学软件的效率、可持续性和再现性提供研究软件支持，为研究软件提供质量指南，并为研究人员就如何最好地将研究软件工程支持纳入其拨款申请提供指导。面向长尾研究人员的HPC：‘HPC-软件坡道’和将HPC资源标准化地整合到适合现代科学计算的桌面应用程序的途径；基于共享资源的以HPC为中心的RSE网络；以及与合作伙伴共同开发的一系列新的研究软件课程。沟通与公众理解：一项旨在提高研究软件知名度的沟通活动，利用备受瞩目的社交媒体和在线资源，建立一个研究软件辩论的非正式论坛。“更好的软件，更好的研究”IEEE互联网计算18(5)：4-8(2014)[SSI 2014]赫特里克，S.《http://www.software.ac.uk/blog/2014-12-04-its-impossible-conduct-research-without-software-say-7-out-10-uk-researchers》(2014年)[《自然》2015年社论《规则重写旨在清理科学软件》，《自然生物技术》第520期(7547)，2015年4月

"Software is the most prevalent of all the instruments used in modern science" [Goble 2014]. Scientific software is not just widely used [SSI 2014] but also widely developed. Yet much of it is developed by researchers who have little understanding of even the basics of modern software development with the knock-on effects to their productivity, and the reliability, readability and reproducibility of their software [Nature Biotechnology]. Many are long-tail researchers working in small groups - even Big Science operations like the SKA are operationally undertaken by individuals collectively. Technological development in software is more like a cliff-face than a ladder - there are many routes to the top, to a solution. Further, the cliff face is dynamic - constantly and quickly changing as new technologies emerge and decline. Determining which technologies to deploy and how best to deploy them is in itself a specialist domain, with many features of traditional research.Researchers need empowerment and training to give them confidence with the available equipment and the challenges they face. This role, akin to that of an Alpine guide, involves support, guidance, and load carrying. When optimally performed it results in a researcher who knows what challenges they can attack alone, and where they need appropriate support. Guides can help decide whether to exploit well-trodden paths or explore new possibilities as they navigate through this dynamic environment.These guides are highly trained, technology-centric, research-aware individuals who have a curiosity driven nature dedicated to supporting researchers by forging a research software support career. Such Research Software Engineers (RSEs) guide researchers through the technological landscape and form a human interface between scientist and computer. A well-functioning RSE group will not just add to an organisation's effectiveness, it will have a multiplicative effect since it will make every individual researcher more effective. It has the potential to improve the quality of research done across all University departments and faculties.My work plan provides a bottom-up approach to providing RSE services that is distinctive from yet complements the top-down approach provided by the EPRSC-funded Software Sustainability Institute.The outcomes of this fellowship will be:Local and National RSE Capability: A RSE Group at Sheffield as a credible roadmap for others pump-priming a UK national research software capability; and a national Continuing Professional Development programme for RSEs.Scalable software support methods: A scalable approach based on "nudging", to providing research software support for scientific software efficiency, sustainability and reproducibility, with quality-guidelines for research software and for researchers on how best to incorporate research software engineering support within their grant proposals.HPC for long-tail researchers: 'HPC-software ramps' and a pathway for standardised integration of HPC resources into Desktop Applications fit for modern scientific computing; a network of HPC-centric RSEs based around shared resources; and a portfolio of new research software courses developed with partners.Communication and public understanding: A communication campaign to raise the profile of research software exploiting high profile social media and online resources, establishing an informal forum for research software debate.References[Goble 2014] Goble, C. "Better Software, Better Research". IEEE Internet Computing 18(5): 4-8 (2014) [SSI 2014] Hettrick, S. "It's impossible to conduct research without software, say 7 out of 10 UK researchers" http://www.software.ac.uk/blog/2014-12-04-its-impossible-conduct-research-without-software-say-7-out-10-uk-researchers (2014)[Nature 2015] Editorial "Rule rewrite aims to clean up scientific software", Nature Biotechnology 520(7547) April 2015