Developing and Managing Research Software in Universities and National Labs

Abstract

Modern research in the sciences, engineering, humanities, and other fields depends on software, and specifically, research software. Much of this research software is developed in universities and labs, by academics, researchers, staff engineers, and students. In this panel, we will focus on the role of staff engineers. We will examine a set of different, independently-developed models under which these staff are organized and perform their work, at NCSA, the University of Manchester, the University of Notre Dame, STFC and DLR, and comparatively analyze these models and their consequences on the staff and on the software, considering how the different models support software engineering practices and processes. These insights can be used by software engineering researchers to understand the practices of such organizations and by universities and labs who want to set up similar organizations, and to better produce and maintain research software.