US-RSE and SGX3: Accelerators of Research and �Why Research Software Engineers and �Science Gateways Creators are so Important for Computational Research
Sandra Gesing
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
January 9, 2024
HICSS-57
@us_rse@fosstodon.org
US-RSE and SGX3: Accelerators of Research and Why Research Software Engineers and Science Gateways Creators are so Important for Computational Research�
Sandra Gesing
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
January 9, 2024
NSF awards�1547611
2231406
Research Software Engineers
http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.843607
Lack of career paths in the US
Lack of incentives to stay in academia
and/or national labs
@us_rse@fosstodon.org
Reproducibility
“Reproducibility means obtaining consistent computational results using the same input data, computational steps, methods, code, and conditions of analysis.”
https://phys.org/news/2019-05-replicability-science.html
@us_rse@fosstodon.org
Usability
“After all, usability really just means that making sure that something works well: that a person … can use the thing - whether it's a Web site, a fighter jet, or a revolving door - for its intended purpose without getting hopelessly frustrated.”
Steve Krug in “Don't make me think!:
A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability”, 2005
@us_rse@fosstodon.org
Interoperability
“capability to communicate, execute programs, or transfer data among various functional units in a manner that requires the user to have little or no knowledge of the unique characteristics of those units”
ISO/EIC 2382 Information Technology Vocabulary
“the ability of two or more systems or components to exchange information and to use the information that has been exchanged”
IEEE Standard Computer Dictionary: A Compilation of IEEE Standard Computer Glossaries
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What is a Research Software Engineer?
A Research Software Engineer (RSE) combines professional software engineering expertise with an intimate understanding of research.
https://society-rse.org/about/
We like an inclusive definition of Research Software Engineers to encompass those who regularly use expertise in programming to advance research. This includes researchers who spend a significant amount of time programming, full-time software engineers writing code to solve research problems, and those somewhere in-between. We aspire to apply the skills and practices of software development to research to create more robust, manageable, and sustainable research software.
https://us-rse.org/about/what-is-an-rse/
@us_rse@fosstodon.org
US Research Software Engineers Association
@us_rse
Movement and Term: Born in the UK
@us_rse@fosstodon.org
Part of an International Movement
Photo by Antonia Cozacu, Jan Philipp Dietrich, de-RSE e.V. (CC BY 4.0).
@us_rse@fosstodon.org
2013
@us_rse@fosstodon.org
2024
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US Research Software Engineer Association - Mission
@us_rse@fosstodon.org
Membership Growth
Members
@us_rse@fosstodon.org
Where Are Our Members?
@us_rse@fosstodon.org
Where Are Our Members?
@us_rse@fosstodon.org
US-RSE Resources
@us_rse
@us_rse@fosstodon.org
US-RSE Community Calls
Alternating months:
Recordings available but unlisted.
Join #communitycalls for links
See events webpage for upcoming calls
Feb 2023 Community Call - Workflow Tools
@us_rse@fosstodon.org
US-RSE Recurring & Upcoming Events
*Many available on US-RSE YouTube channel
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Working & Other Groups
Affinity groups
Regional groups
Working groups
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
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New Resource - Career Guidebook
ADSA/US-RSE Workshop
100+ pages!
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New Resource - RSE Career Guide
*Special thanks to Dan Katz for leading the effort!
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US-RSE - New Fiscal Sponsor
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US-RSE Enters a New Phase
2018-2022
2023
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US-RSE New Grant
Enabling investment in 3 key and transformative areas:
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Newly-Enabled Strategic Investments
Dedicated staff
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Newly-Enabled Strategic Investments
Dedicated staff
Activities and initiatives
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Community Initiative & Travel Grants
https://us-rse.org/grants-and-awards/
Next deadline: Dec 31
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Newly-Enabled Strategic Investments
Dedicated staff
Activities and initiatives
Organizational tools & community health
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Our First Conference!
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US-RSE’23
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Conference Program
Our mascot: The unicorn!
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A Special Thanks to All the Committee Volunteers
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US-RSE’23 Volunteers (2)
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US-RSE’23 Volunteers (3)
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Thank You to Conference Sponsors
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Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
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Date and Location
Conference Dates: �October 15 - 17, 2024
Venue: �Albuquerque Convention Center�401 2nd St NW�Albuquerque, NM 87102
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Explore New Mexico!
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Executive Committee
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More Opportunities to Get Involved
Are you interested in getting involved? There will be more opportunities! We will be looking for volunteers to help as reviewers, committee members, in-person volunteers, session hosts, and other roles at various times between now and the conference.
Please fill out this interest form!�https://forms.gle/z2SPREu79XsofHE87 �
You can also directly contact an Executive �Committee member if you are interested in�joining their committee.
@us_rse@fosstodon.org
Stay Informed!
There are plenty of ways to stay informed as new details are released:
Do you have questions, comments, or concerns? Email us at: usrse24-conference@us-rse.org
@us_rse@fosstodon.org
Steering Committee Goals (2024+)
These may change based on:
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Financial Sustainability – Diversification of Funding Sources
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Financial Sustainability
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Marketing Plan
@us_rse@fosstodon.org
Overarching Goals
Changing Academic Culture
Welcoming and �Sustainable
Environment
Keep�Grass-Root
Character
@us_rse@fosstodon.org
Research �Computing
Increased complexity of
Today’s research questions
Data
Hardware and software
Skills required
Greater need for openness and reproducibility
Driving policy questions
Interdisciplinary distributed projects
Opportunity to integrate research with teaching
Better workforce preparation
Research �Computing
We need end-to-end solutions that provide
broad access to advanced resources and allow
all to tackle
today’s challenging science questions
🡺 Science Gateways
Increased complexity of
Today’s research questions
Data
Hardware and software
Skills required
Greater need for openness and reproducibility
Driving policy questions
Interdisciplinary distributed projects
Opportunity to integrate research with teaching
Better workforce preparation
Research Computing
Lab Instruments
High-speed networks
Research Software
Web-based
agile frameworks
Distributed data and
computing infrastructures
Data and Compute-intensive
Problems
Lab Instruments
High-speed networks
Research Software
Web-based
agile frameworks
Distributed data and
computing infrastructures
Data and Compute-intensive
Problems
Research Computing
Research Computing
Lab Instruments
High-speed networks
Research Software
Web-based
agile frameworks
Distributed data and
computing infrastructures
Data and Compute-intensive
Problems
Need for science gateways
Research Computing
Lab Instruments
High-speed networks
Research Software
Web-based
agile frameworks
Distributed data and
computing infrastructures
Data and Compute-intensive
Problems
HUBzero users world wide
Lessons learned:
Approaches should be technology agnostic, using APIs and standard web technologies OR deliver a complete solution �
Community Engagement is key
Science Gateway Technologies�
Typical Lifecycle of a�Science Gateway�Project
Sustainability�for �Science�Gateways
Longer term �support engagements
Diverse expertise
on demand
Software and visibility
for gateways
Information exchange
in a community
environment
Student opportunities and
more stable career paths
SGX3
SGX3 and SGCI
SGX3 funded
Client funded
Blueprint Factories
Rising Stars
Faculty Opportunities
FacultyHack @ Gateways 2023
Gateways Central
SGX3 On The Road
Focus Week
Gateway Ambassadors�
Members of a professional community
We have supported
over
200 projects
https://sciencegateways.org/about/storybook
Thanks�
Sandra Gesing
sgesing@ucsd.edu