diff --git a/paper.tex b/paper.tex index a00ee6f..847f81d 100644 --- a/paper.tex +++ b/paper.tex @@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ \subsection{Pooling: a necessary ingredient} This is comparable to commercial/industry R\&D departments, where key software architects and developers establish a knowledge hub and consult with as many projects as necessary \todo{Does that exist in reality? Isn’t it just that people, on average, stay longer?} [REF]. % side-note: it's also similar to “inhouse consulting” in management\autocite{moscho_inhouse_consulting_2010}. They even formed a national network to raise awareness about the internal consultant role (https://inhouse-consulting.de/). Subject matter experts like software architects, database administrators and other tooling specialists are organised centrally and share their knowledge by consulting with decentralised projects. -It makes economic sense to organise such personnel centrally since not every project can afford or needs such RSE FTEs. +It makes economic sense to organise such staff centrally since not every project can afford or needs such RSE FTEs. Most academic research organisations have established centralised tooling, \eg{} storage or High-Performance-Computing\ (HPC), but only a few consider software development and consultancy a relevant service yet. A second and equally important pooling is that of \textbf{diverse knowledge}. @@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ \subsubsection{Research data management} Funding agencies acknowledge the importance of research data and have started to make RDM mandatory in research projects. The most recent funding guidelines suggest “data stewards” in data-driven research. -Such experts are to be employed in advanced research projects like “Collaborative Research Centers” (CRC)\footnote{Sonderforschungsbereich (SFB)} or “Clusters of Excellence”\footnote{Cluster der Exzellenzinitiative}. +Such experts are to be employed in advanced research projects like “Collaborative Research Centres” (CRC)\footnote{Sonderforschungsbereich (SFB)} or “Clusters of Excellence”\footnote{Cluster der Exzellenzinitiative}. These data experts support research projects in several aspects including DMPs, grant applications, data availability for journal publications, compliance, FAIRification and more. Similarly, central RSEs will encourage other RSEs to publish software with rich metadata and will support journal publications with code submission requirements. With the increasing recognition of software as a research product, it is easy to see how projects will require and benefit from support in research software management in the near future. @@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ \subsubsection{Existing RSE efforts} The successful establishment of such staff is a role model for similar academic organisations worldwide. A range of already-existing RSE units can be seen in this map: \url{https://society-rse.org/community/rse-groups/} \todo{FLO+PMS: mention that this map is not current and add further data.}. In the UK, for example, almost all grant applications include software development in their budget. -This allocated money can then be utilized to delegate/dispatch a central RSE person or group into a research project for a few weeks or months as necessary. +This allocated money can then be utilised to delegate/dispatch a central RSE person or group into a research project for a few weeks or months as necessary. \todo{Lead with HPC is a more established special kind of RSE?} National Competence Centres\footnote{EuroCC: \url{https://www.eurocc-access.eu/}} form a network of HPC-RSE consulting groups to share expertise with academic and industry actors\autocite{eurocc_success_stories_2023,eurocc_success_stories_2024}. @@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ \subsection{External expectations} The latest DFG grant application templates require discussion of both, data \textbf{and} software management (in line with their GWP guidelines~\autocite{dfg_gsp}). %We also see the first grant applications [REF wellcome trust (seems to require an OutputMP that includes software, but only how/when it will be published, not how it will be created/maintained)? or others] requiring Software Management Plans (SMP). -In addition, as dedicated DMPs have become mandatory in several funding calls \todo{REF}, we expect to see a similar development for Software Managment Plans (SMPs) in the future. \todo{REF} There have already been funding calls in the UK that required an SMP. +In addition, as dedicated DMPs have become mandatory in several funding calls \todo{REF}, we expect to see a similar development for Software Management Plans (SMPs) in the future. \todo{REF} There have already been funding calls in the UK that required an SMP. % See https://www.forschungsdaten.org/index.php/Data_Management_Pl%C3%A4ne#Anforderungen_von_F%C3%B6rderorganisationen % See https://www.researchdata.uni-jena.de/information/datenmanagementplan @@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ \section{Vision}% Not all, and probably not even most of the RSE units will deliver all nine, and different RSE units will focus on different modules. Thus, it is likely that no two RSE units will be, or should be, alike. However, these nine modules together with assumed weights are part of a simple model of an RSE group which provides both a quick overview of an individual group as well as a way to compare groups. -The nine modules are decribed in the following. +The nine modules are described in the following. \subsection{Module 1: Foster a Network of RSEs}% \label{sec:network} @@ -263,19 +263,19 @@ \subsection{Module 1: Foster a Network of RSEs}% Connecting RSEs in spokes has multiple, positive effects. It will enable them to get to know others in similar situations and to learn from as well as support each other. -Contact with the central RSE unit will also help RSEs to professionalize their software development, which will directly benefit not only themselves but also their research groups. +Contact with the central RSE unit will also help RSEs to professionalise their software development, which will directly benefit not only themselves but also their research groups. In addition, the networking opportunities allow the distribution of knowledge about tools and resources within network partners, including the central RSE unit. There are many RSE skills mastering which can take many years; time that a part-time RSE usually can not spare. A central RSE unit can make sure to connect RSEs in spokes to others with the relevant expertise or offer it themselves. Fostering the network also enables the RSE unit to monitor institutional RSE activities, thereby giving it the insight necessary to prevent duplication of work and support synergies. -How an RSE unit realizes this task will depend heavily on its environment and resources. +How an RSE unit realises this task will depend heavily on its environment and resources. We only mention a few examples here to provide inspiration, with the explicit claim of incompleteness. These include talks, seminars, workshops, meet-ups, hackathons, as well as informal regulars' tables. As a foundation, a central RSE unit employs experienced RSEs, mostly at the post-doctoral level, who are not only expert software engineers, but also good communicators with the ability to work interdisciplinarily. At least a core of a central RSE unit's employees need to have permanent contracts to be able to offer that deep expertise that requires years of experience. -Moreover, an onboarding process can serve as an entry point for new RSEs, whether in the hub or in spokes, into an institution's network. -This gives an opportunity to gauge how the new colleague can benefit from the RSE units's teaching services and whom they might want to network with based on their planned work. +Moreover, an induction process can serve as an entry point for new RSEs, whether in the hub or in spokes, into an institution's network. +This gives an opportunity to gauge how the new colleague can benefit from the RSE unit's teaching services and whom they might want to network with based on their planned work. Similarly an off-boarding process can help to make sure that all acquired knowledge that is relevant to the institution is passed on to someone who stays, even when within a single research group alone that might pose a problem. \subsection{Module 2: Consultation Services}% @@ -303,20 +303,20 @@ \subsection{Module 2: Consultation Services}% Many proposals critically depend on research software to be developed and the requirements of funding agencies w.r.t.\ research software are growing and will continue to do so. Similar to dedicated RDM units that provide institutional support for data management plans, the RSE hub can support researchers by providing expertise with software management plans and the software engineering best practices required by these plans. -With consultation services already involved in the proposal phase, improved proposal acceptance rates can be expected [REF], thereby amortizing the investment into RSE units. +With consultation services already involved in the proposal phase, improved proposal acceptance rates can be expected [REF], thereby amortising the investment into RSE units. \subsection{Module 3: Development Services}% \label{sec:development} -There is a huge demand for the development and customization of research software tailored to the needs of specific research projects. +There is a huge demand for the development and customisation of research software tailored to the needs of specific research projects. Often, the correct solution to this is to educate researchers to write their own software according to RSE best practices. However, there are also many instances where the knowledge gap between the researchers and the intended research software development is too large to bridge efficiently. -In these cases, RSE development services are a great opportunity that can have a huge impact on the digitization of science at a research institution. +In these cases, RSE development services are a great opportunity that can have a huge impact on the digitisation of science at a research institution. Similar to consultation services, this service can be offered at multiple scales. Many times, even a small effort of a skilled RSE can have a huge impact on a research project that requires dedicated research software development. -With the leverage of these projects being usually very high, realizing as many of them as possible gives a great boost to the research institution. +With the leverage of these projects being usually very high, realising as many of them as possible gives a great boost to the research institution. Many existing RSE units (\eg{} Manchester, Heidelberg) offer this type of small scale service free of charge and use it to promote their services within the institution. For research projects requiring more substantial software development resources, an RSE unit could --- either through the hub or its spokes --- provide the required developer capacity. @@ -325,13 +325,13 @@ \subsection{Module 3: Development Services}% If the research within the institution heavily relies on specific pieces of software, sustaining these pieces is of vital importance for the long term success of the institution. -Relying on a workforce that is subject to academic labor turnover poses a risk of knowledge loss. +Relying on a workforce that is subject to academic labour turnover poses a risk of knowledge loss. If the development is done in an RSE unit, institutional memory about critical research software infrastructures can be created and the long term availability of these infrastructures can be improved. This applies both to domain-specific research software (\eg{} simulation frameworks widely used throughout the institution) and to domain-agnostic software and data infrastructure (\eg{} Jupyter, workflow management systems, data repository software). While all of the above development services can be flexibly performed either at the RSE hub or its spokes, there are advantages of having a hub in the process: -It allows building up highly specialized technical expertise with a long term perspective and reuse it across the entire institution. +It allows building up highly specialised technical expertise with a long term perspective and reuse it across the entire institution. Examples of topics that would benefit from such expertise pooling are \eg{} mobile app development and UI/UX development. RSE units that offer development services at all scales have proven to be a success story at many research institutions and have rapidly grown in size due to the influx of third party funding. @@ -342,10 +342,10 @@ \subsection{Module 3: Development Services}% This growth is based on a continuous influx of new funded projects once successful projects showcase the additional value of RSE services to researchers. [Success Story] -The University of Manchester Software and Data Science group has successfully established specialized development services within their institution: +The University of Manchester Software and Data Science group has successfully established specialised development services within their institution: The “Mobile Development Service” \autocite{manchester_mobile} team consists of RSEs that focus solely on developing and deploying mobile apps. -Without a central RSE unit to anchor such specialized expertise, it would probably be infeasible to establish such a service. -Also, having this expertise centralized allows for synergies in the deployment procedure for mobile apps: +Without a central RSE unit to anchor such specialised expertise, it would probably be infeasible to establish such a service. +Also, having this expertise centralised allows for synergies in the deployment procedure for mobile apps: The RSE unit can create institutional accounts with the app stores and manage the time consuming deployment process including hard-to-setup procedures like code signing. Besides the technical benefits of this central deployment procedure, the institution will also benefit from the increased visibility and potentially be able to build a brand with its technological output. @@ -358,11 +358,11 @@ \subsection{Module 3: Development Services}% \subsection{Module 4: Teaching Services}% \label{sec:teaching} -A central RSE unit can provide or organize training for researchers and RSEs in spokes. -This can replace self-education for foundational software development skills and provide a basis from which researchers can continue to learn more specialized skills guided by experts of the central RSE unit. -It also improves the quality of much of the fairly simple software being written by researchers; scripts to process and maybe visualize their data. +A central RSE unit can provide or organise training for researchers and RSEs in spokes. +This can replace self-education for foundational software development skills and provide a basis from which researchers can continue to learn more specialised skills guided by experts of the central RSE unit. +It also improves the quality of much of the fairly simple software being written by researchers; scripts to process and maybe visualise their data. As teaching material for foundational software development skills is freely available, -the tasks remaining for a central RSE unit are to adapt the material to local requirements as well as to organize and hold courses and workshops. +the tasks remaining for a central RSE unit are to adapt the material to local requirements as well as to organise and hold courses and workshops. For more complex software development projects, a central RSE unit can offer individual teaching, either through consultation or by lending out RSEs into projects of research departments. In both cases the expert RSEs from the central RSE unit can pass on their knowledge precisely adapted to the concrete needs of those that they support. @@ -379,13 +379,13 @@ \subsection{Module 5: Create a Network of Institutional Partners}% However, note that as research organisations can differ widely from one another, so can the tasks and even existence of the entities below. Arguments and conclusions below have to be adapted to specific circumstances when applying them to specific environments. -All research institutions in Germany do have a \textbf{computing center} of one form or another. +All research institutions in Germany do have a \textbf{computing centre} of one form or another. At the very least, these are the persons that deal with the every-day IT-need of the institution: Internet access, Email, Web, central administration of computers (at least that of administrative staff), etc. -Typically, the assigned tasks of the computing center are not research-driven, or also the staff does not have a research background. -However, research software often has to work within the environment provided by the computing center. +Typically, the assigned tasks of the computing centre are not research-driven, or also the staff does not have a research background. +However, research software often has to work within the environment provided by the computing centre. A central RSE unit can help to either adapt the research software or even the environment such that the needs of researchers can be met. -It is not unusual that this requires a level of engagement and understanding of the underlying research concepts that the staff of the computing center cannot provide alone. +It is not unusual that this requires a level of engagement and understanding of the underlying research concepts that the staff of the computing centre cannot provide alone. A second important partner is the local \textbf{library}, which has already gained tasks much beyond the preservation and organisation of publications on physical paper for quite some time. Besides digital forms of rather traditional publications, these more and more include digital data and recently also software publications, their discovery and citation. @@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ \subsection{Module 5: Create a Network of Institutional Partners}% Thus, often a close collaboration between RSE and RDM groups helps everyone: both RSE and RDM groups by being able to offer a more comprehensive service than when working alone, as well as the researcher, who benefits from receiving this single coordinated service, instead of dealing with two independent entities. The question whether RSE and RDM should be located in two separate groups or should be combined in one common group is intentionally left open, as the answer depends on local, pre-existing circumstances. -Some research institutions might host a dedicated \textbf{HPC group}, maybe even independent of the computing center. +Some research institutions might host a dedicated \textbf{HPC group}, maybe even independent of the computing centre. HPC is an RSE-related field, so HPC groups might already provide training, consulting and funding opportunities in this area. At the same time, HPC by nature focuses on highly efficient, many-core, if possible parallel computations. The challenges of an average researchers often start a long way before reaching that level, and they never might need to. @@ -408,10 +408,10 @@ \subsection{Module 5: Create a Network of Institutional Partners}% \subsection{Module 6: RSE Infrastructure Provisioning}% \label{sec:infrastructure} -IT and (potentially high-performance) computing infrastructure provisioning is usually the purview of an institution's IT department and/or a computing center. +IT and (potentially high-performance) computing infrastructure provisioning is usually the purview of an institution's IT department and/or a computing centre. However, a central RSE unit can provide extra services by acting as an intermediary for RSE infrastructure and by hosting pilot instances of new tools and services. IT departments typically only provide the service for hosting and accessing IT infrastructures, such as RSE infrastructures. -Central RSE units are a link between the central services offered either by IT departments, computing centers or over-archlingly available services on one side, +Central RSE units are a link between the central services offered either by IT departments, computing centres or over-archlingly available services on one side, and RSEs in spokes on the other, offering documentation, training and best-practices to efficiently and effectively use available services and comply with established processes. Furthermore, the central RSE unit can offer consulting for RSEs in spokes to guide selection processes of the tools and services best suited for each project. @@ -422,9 +422,9 @@ \subsection{Module 6: RSE Infrastructure Provisioning}% It is crucial that the RSE unit does not compete with the IT department, nor should it duplicate existing infrastructure. On the contrary, the RSE unit should act as a multiplier for the RSE-relevant services offered by the IT department, helping RSEs to discover and use existing and upcoming services. -Similarly, the RSE unit can promote the use of the available computing infrastructure provided by a computing center, helping with the support of the users when RSE-related questions in this context arise. -Once the mutual collaboration between RSE unit, IT department and computing center has been established, a stricter policy-based involvement of the RSE unit for infrastructure requests is envisioned. -Overall, by acting as an intermediary for RSE infrastructure related requests, the central RSE unit can augment the IT department and the computing center, providing RSEs in spokes with the specific support they require. +Similarly, the RSE unit can promote the use of the available computing infrastructure provided by a computing centre, helping with the support of the users when RSE-related questions in this context arise. +Once the mutual collaboration between RSE unit, IT department and computing centre has been established, a stricter policy-based involvement of the RSE unit for infrastructure requests is envisioned. +Overall, by acting as an intermediary for RSE infrastructure related requests, the central RSE unit can augment the IT department and the computing centre, providing RSEs in spokes with the specific support they require. \subsection{Module 7: Research Software Engineering Research}% \label{sec:rseresearch} @@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ \subsection{Module 8: Software Maintenance Service}% Software maintenance is the ongoing change process of software after its release. It includes the fixing of bugs in the software that are discovered and also adapts the software to changes in the execution environment such as hardware, operating system, toolchain and software dependencies. In the scientific community there is a demand for long term maintenance of research software, -but academic labor turnover and missing funding schemes make research software maintenance often rely on the (potentially unpaid) efforts of individuals. +but academic labour turnover and missing funding schemes make research software maintenance often rely on the (potentially unpaid) efforts of individuals. An RSE hub with long term core staff can partially solve this problem by taking over maintenance tasks. In order for this to be feasible two criteria need to be met: @@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ \subsection{Module 9: RSE Outreach}% This can be achieved by contributing to events, position papers and the initiatives themselves, either directly from the RSE unit or by advertising at the institution and matchmaking with local RSEs interested in becoming active beyond their current tasks. The RSE unit thus contributes to the RSE communities on a regional, national or international level on the one hand and opens these up to the local RSEs and enables networking on the other hand. -It organizes the bidirectional exchange between the local and the global community and is the central hub for information coming both ways. +It organises the bidirectional exchange between the local and the global community and is the central hub for information coming both ways. Furthermore, the RSE unit should advocate the use of RSE techniques and best-practices within their institutions actively to strengthen the local community and to reach out to new groups whenever possible. \section{Existing Implementations} @@ -488,12 +488,12 @@ \section{Existing Implementations} When setting up a new RSE unit, it is important to find the best service portfolio composition for the local environment. This depends on the demand by scientists at the institution, existing structures and the available funding. -\section{Realization Strategy}% +\section{Realisation Strategy}% \label{sec:realization} -We propose a realization strategy for a central institutional RSE unit. +We propose a realisation strategy for a central institutional RSE unit. We start by listing different possibilities for funding RSE positions at a research institution. -Following that, we describe a potential transition pathway, starting from existing structures that have grown in research alliances such as collaborative research centers or also in research departments of an institution. +Following that, we describe a potential transition pathway, starting from existing structures that have grown in research alliances such as collaborative research centres or also in research departments of an institution. This is complemented by discussing the opportunity of outsourcing RSE services and the challenging task of identifying and hiring suitable RSE candidates. \subsection{Funding Possibilities}% @@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ \subsection{Funding Possibilities}% \item explicitly requested person-months in externally funded projects, and \item dedicated RSE calls. \end{enumerate} -While each option stands for itself, in reality, an institutional RSE unit will most certainly finance its personnel by an appropriate mixture of possibly all four options. +While each option stands for itself, in reality, an institutional RSE unit will most certainly finance its staff by an appropriate mixture of possibly all four options. The mixture at a particular institution depends heavily on the local conditions. At research institutions, it is important to resolve the conflict between time-limited research funding and the need for permanent positions in order to be competitive with industry. @@ -518,7 +518,7 @@ \subsection{Funding Possibilities}% However, particularly at German universities, it is usually impossible to create completely new budget positions and the only feasible way is to rededicate an existing position after its corresponding holder has left. Depending on the local circumstances at an institution, this can be a cumbersome and time-consuming process for each such position. \item Funding organisations additionally allocate a portion of the direct project funds as overhead, which is typically divided between the institution and the applicant. - We propose using a small percentage of the overhead agglomorated at the institution to permanently finance central RSE positions. + We propose using a small percentage of the overhead agglomerated at the institution to permanently finance central RSE positions. Assuming a third-party funding income of EUR 50 million annually and a 20\% overhead, EUR 100,000 in permanent funding requirements for one person-year would only account for 1\% of this overhead. \item In project applications involving the development of research software, corresponding person-months should be applied for to finance RSE tasks. In this way, an applicant can book a fixed number of working hours from the RSE pool and pay for the costs accordingly. @@ -526,9 +526,9 @@ \subsection{Funding Possibilities}% In order to scale, it needs to be supported by an institutional policy. Large scale collaborative projects can often apply for dedicated technical support positions that align well with the idea of RSE units. For example, the German Research Foundation allows requesting funding for “central service units or external service providers” in grant proposals aimed at developing research software\autocite{katerbow_dfg_rse_2024}. -\item Funding organisations are increasingly recognizing the need for sustainable research software +\item Funding organisations are increasingly recognising the need for sustainable research software development and are setting up correspondingly designated funding programmes. - The DFG has already organized three calls for proposals in 2016\footnote{\href{https://www.dfg.de/resource/blob/172674/1bcb181a6451fdac9d94421776b52798/161026-dfg-ausschreibung-forschungssoftware-de-data.pdf}{Nachhaltigkeit von Forschungssoftware}}, 2019\footnote{\href{https://www.dfg.de/de/aktuelles/neuigkeiten-themen/info-wissenschaft/2019/info-wissenschaft-19-44}{Qualitätssicherung von Forschungssoftware durch ihre nachhaltige Nutzbarmachung}}, and 2022\footnote{\href{https://www.dfg.de/en/news/news-topics/announcements-proposals/2022/info-wissenschaft-22-85}{Research Software – Quality Assured and Re-usable}}\autocite{katerbow_dfg_rse_funding_2018}. + The DFG has already organised three calls for proposals in 2016\footnote{\href{https://www.dfg.de/resource/blob/172674/1bcb181a6451fdac9d94421776b52798/161026-dfg-ausschreibung-forschungssoftware-de-data.pdf}{Nachhaltigkeit von Forschungssoftware}}, 2019\footnote{\href{https://www.dfg.de/de/aktuelles/neuigkeiten-themen/info-wissenschaft/2019/info-wissenschaft-19-44}{Qualitätssicherung von Forschungssoftware durch ihre nachhaltige Nutzbarmachung}}, and 2022\footnote{\href{https://www.dfg.de/en/news/news-topics/announcements-proposals/2022/info-wissenschaft-22-85}{Research Software – Quality Assured and Re-usable}}\autocite{katerbow_dfg_rse_funding_2018}. It is to be expected that even more programs will be launched in the future. An already established RSE concept at an institution increases the chances of being successful in such calls. \end{enumerate} @@ -551,17 +551,17 @@ \subsection{Funding Possibilities}% \subsection{Transition Pathway} We present a possible transition pathway from RSEs distributed over an institution and associated purely with research working groups and corresponding projects towards an institutional RSE unit. -After starting with initial measures not necessarily requiring dedicated funding, we discuss the conceptualization phase, followed by the RSE unit's foundation, and concluded by measures for promoting its growth. +After starting with initial measures not necessarily requiring dedicated funding, we discuss the conceptualisation phase, followed by the RSE unit's foundation, and concluded by measures for promoting its growth. \subsubsection{Initial Measures} -The following measures initialize the two modules presented in \autoref{sec:network} and \autoref{sec:teaching}. -While dedicated funding certainly is beneficial already for this initialization, it is not mandatory. +The following measures initialise the two modules presented in \autoref{sec:network} and \autoref{sec:teaching}. +While dedicated funding certainly is beneficial already for this initialisation, it is not mandatory. Once the two measures are in place, they can be used to illustrate the need for institutional RSE activities and therefore support funding proposals. \paragraph{Network of RSEs} -Forming a network of RSEs localized at an institution can be initiated by any existing RSE individual or group that is preferably already in contact with other RSEs at the institution. +Forming a network of RSEs localised at an institution can be initiated by any existing RSE individual or group that is preferably already in contact with other RSEs at the institution. An institutional dedicated mailing list, chat group and possibly other communication platforms can be created and a request for participation can be circulated via institutional channels such as an employee newsletter. -First common events such as social gatherings or RSE-related seminar talks can be organized and announced via the communication platform. +First common events such as social gatherings or RSE-related seminar talks can be organised and announced via the communication platform. This process can be accompanied, facilitated and strengthened by founding a local de-RSE chapter. Such network-building has been successfully initiated and implemented at several German research institutions. @@ -569,16 +569,16 @@ \subsubsection{Initial Measures} Depending on local RSE efforts, teaching materials and associated training formats are likely to already exist, distributed over individual institutional groups. With the established network, the materials can be pooled and joint training can be offered to a wider institutional audience. -This step can be facilitated and formalized by offering introductory courses with a recognized curriculum as provided by The Carpentries\footnote{Examples \url{https://software-carpentry.org/lessons/}} +This step can be facilitated and formalised by offering introductory courses with a recognised curriculum as provided by The Carpentries\footnote{Examples \url{https://software-carpentry.org/lessons/}} or CodeRefinery\footnote{Examples \url{https://coderefinery.org/lessons/}}. -\subsubsection{Conceptualization} +\subsubsection{Conceptualisation} Decision makers at an institution usually require a concept upon which they will decide about the installation of an RSE unit. Such a concept should specify the idea of the RSE unit, its responsibilities and offerings as a subset of the nine modules presented in \autoref{sec:vision}, and the resulting benefits for the institution and its researchers. -A rather difficult and crucial question can be the localization of the RSE unit within the organisational structure of the institution. +A rather difficult and crucial question can be the localisation of the RSE unit within the organisational structure of the institution. A canonical place would be a new subunit of an institutional body close to software, -training services and computing such as the institution's IT department, the computing center or the library. +training services and computing such as the institution's IT department, the computing centre or the library. Since most institutions already have an RDM unit, it seems natural to add the RSE unit as a parallel structure. Another choice for the superordinate body, particularly at universities, is the faculty for computer science. Determining the best place may involve discussing with several stakeholders at the institution and can already be beneficial for creating a @@ -598,9 +598,9 @@ \subsubsection{Installation of the Department} The initial staffing depends crucially on the local institutional conditions. One promising possibility is to start with two positions. The first one would be an RSE coordinator. -They will be the contact person for all institutional RSEs, organizing meetings, developing training programs, reporting to superordinate bodies, etc. +They will be the contact person for all institutional RSEs, organising meetings, developing training programs, reporting to superordinate bodies, etc. The second position would be a central RSE, responsible for providing selected services and infrastructure. -These central positions will be complemented by the existing RSEs organized in the network to form a pool of institutional RSEs associated with the central unit. +These central positions will be complemented by the existing RSEs organised in the network to form a pool of institutional RSEs associated with the central unit. Drawing from the concept and considering the actual initial staff situation, a first task of the centrally funded structure is to define a basic service portfolio according to the modules described in \autoref{sec:vision}. In addition to the already mentioned networking and teaching cf.~\autoref{sec:network} and \autoref{sec:teaching}, it seems natural to start with consultation cf.~\autoref{sec:consultation}, @@ -622,7 +622,7 @@ \subsubsection{Growth of the Department} \subsection{Outsourcing} -Another possibility for the realization of local RSE Service providers is by forming a spin-off and pooling the RSE Skills into an external company, which has benefits but also drawbacks. [\#SuccessStory Outsourcing] +Another possibility for the realisation of local RSE Service providers is by forming a spin-off and pooling the RSE Skills into an external company, which has benefits but also drawbacks. [\#SuccessStory Outsourcing] Among the most obvious benefits is that this enables the creation of contracts outside of the WissZeitVG.\@ This also widens the customer base of the RSE unit since the newly founded company may obtain contracts from industry. If this company is university backed/branded this enables another possibility for a university to interact with the local society. @@ -638,10 +638,10 @@ \subsection{Outsourcing} \subsection{Staff Acquisition/People} -This leaves us with the question of, assuming we have centralized RSE units, where do we get the employees? +This leaves us with the question of, assuming we have centralised RSE units, where do we get the employees? Being an RSE should be a career worth aspiring to as any other profession and hence we have to additionally create education structures that generate a pool of people where central RSE units can be populated from. This is a topic that will be considered in a separate paper. -These RSEs will bring a diverse set of skills centered around the topics of research, +These RSEs will bring a diverse set of skills centred around the topics of research, digital tools, and team-based work and hence can easily offer the consulting services mentioned in the previous section and guide people to their implementation in their workgroups. To fill gaps, the RSE unit can also maintain a roster of freelance workers. In order to retain RSEs it should be possible for them to become experts in a field and hence this should make this job more attractive to young RSEs, @@ -649,9 +649,9 @@ \subsection{Staff Acquisition/People} To facilitate the retention of skilled people, industry has long identified education as an effective tool. For RSEs this should be helped by to be formed academic facilities that enable them to keep on learning skills after their first professional qualification, supported by the respective certification programs. In the longer run, Research Software Engineering should be integrated into the existing study programmes. -One option here would be the creation of an RSE master as a specialization for a computer science bachelor. +One option here would be the creation of an RSE master as a specialisation for a computer science bachelor. This should be complemented by adding a minor in application-domain study programs such as biology, physics, engineering etc.\ to facilitate the communication between the corresponding two groups of RSEs. -There are already some master's programs available, (\eg{} in Berlin, Munich and Stuttgart) that develop this specialization on top of a domain bachelor. +There are already some master's programs available, (\eg{} in Berlin, Munich and Stuttgart) that develop this specialisation on top of a domain bachelor. And of course there are data science curricula in the process of being created. A curated and continuously updated list of these programs is available at~\cite{learnandteachlearn}.