Sustainability and EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) in the R Project

许多大型科学软件项目在很大程度上依赖于研究社区的维护和开发。在R的情况下，数据分析计算和图形的自由软件环境，核心开发人员主要是传统的学术角色，如统计学教授。因此，他们的重点一直是与他们的研究领域相关的发展方面，与其他必要的功能作为服务，这可能会或可能不会被他们的机构所承认。这种模式导致了R项目的可持续性危机，因为在建立开放，可持续发展的做法或指导新的贡献者方面没有足够的投资。目前的许多核心开发人员已经退休或接近退休，使R项目处于不稳定的状态。由于R广泛应用于研究软件的开发，这是研究界必须迫切解决的问题。目前的核心开发模式也导致了多样性问题。要想做出实质性贡献，需要有一个特殊的学术地位，有安全感和灵活性，以便为这项工作腾出时间，这对高收入国家的白色男性有利。虽然核心开发人员已经认识到了这个问题，但由于缺乏时间，沿着的是对代表性不足的群体所面临的障碍的有限看法，这意味着几乎没有采取任何行动。通过这个奖学金，我的目标是建立研究软件工程师（RSE），作为创建更具可持续性和包容性的大型研究软件项目的解决方案的一部分。我将展示如何RSE可以是关键的贡献者，通过模拟这个角色的背景下，R项目。一方面将有助于R项目中基本代码的维护和开发，无论是核心R代码库，还是重要的附加包，都是（或将是）孤儿。作为一名女性，我自己做出这些贡献将证明RSE职位支持代表性不足群体的贡献者的潜力。它还将显示RSE承担传统学术角色的人可能不太希望的工作的潜力（因为它不代表新颖的研究）。然而，我打算超越这一点，并展示RSE如何有助于促进可持续性和包容性。这方面的工作将是我工作的一个重要组成部分，包括帮助核心开发过程更加透明、指导短期项目和提供培训等活动。

Many large scientific software projects depend heavily on the research community for their maintenance and development. In the case of R, the free software environment for data-analytic computing and graphics, the core developers have mainly been people in traditional academic roles, such as statistics professors. As such, their focus has been on aspects of development related to their areas of research, with other necessary functions being done as service, that may or may not be recognised by their institutions.This paradigm has led to a crisis of sustainability for the R project, since there has been insufficient investment in establishing open, sustainable development practices or mentoring new contributors. Many of the current core developers are past or nearing retirement, leaving the R project in a precarious situation. Since R is widely used in the development of research software, this is an issue that the research community must urgently address.The current model of core development has also led to a diversity problem. Contributing in a substantial way has required a privileged academic position, with the security and flexibility to make time for this work, which has favoured white men in high-income countries. Although the core developers have acknowledged this issue, a lack of time, along with a limited perspective of the barriers faced by under-represented groups, has meant that little action has been taken.Through this fellowship, I aim to establish Research Software Engineers (RSEs) as part of the solution to creating more sustainable and inclusive large-scale research software projects. I will demonstrate how RSEs can be critical contributors, by modelling this role in the context of the R project. One aspect will be contributing to the maintenance and development of fundamental code in the R project, either the core R codebase, or important add-on packages that are (or will be) orphaned. Making these contributions as a woman myself will demonstrate the potential for RSE positions to support contributors from under-represented groups. It will also show the potential for RSEs to take on work that may be less desirable to people in traditional academic roles (since it does not represent novel research). However, I intend to go beyond this and also demonstrate how RSEs can contribute to promoting sustainability and inclusion. This aspect will form a large component of my work and involve activities such as helping to make the core development process more transparent, mentoring short-term projects, and providing training.