Simon Hettrick
Professor Simon Hettrick is Director of Strategy at the Software Sustainability Institute, and a Director of the Southampton Research Software Group.
How should the work of technicians be recognised by universities and by the REF?
Simon Hettrick
9 July 2025 - HETS 2025, Hinckley ORCID: 0000-0002-6809-5195
If we don't recognise everyone that is vital to research,
we limit our ability to conduct research.
www.software.ac.uk
Researcher
Software
Engineer
Research
Software
Engineer
>10,000 RSEs worldwide
Image courtesy Dan Katz
Why did it take until the 2010s to realise that software and the people who create it are so fundamentally important to research?
It comes down to how we value research
Publications are the Bhurj Khalifa
Height = 830 m
Exhibitions are a typical UK bungalow
Height = 3.5 m
Software is a lego person wearing a top hat
Height = 5 cm
What are the dangers of using...
Publications
...as the only metric of research success?
Show me the incentive and I will show you the outcome
- Charlie Munger
People who are
vital to research
People who are named in publications
Academics
RSEs, Technicians,
Librarians, Data
Stewards, PRISMS,
RMAs... and more
The Venn of academic importance and recognition
Changing how success in research is measured and attributed
www.hidden-ref.org
The Hidden Role
| CC-BY William Murphy |
Data stewards and managers, Librarians, Technicians, Lived Experience Contributors (including patients), Research Software Engineers, PRISMS (Professional Research Investment and Strategy Managers), Professional Services Personnel, Public Engagement Professionals (PEPs), RMAs (Research Managers and Administrators) and Clinical Trials Managers.
Text
Thinktank, Birmingham
7-8 October 2025
If we recognise everyone that is vital to research,
we advance our ability to conduct research.
Exercise:
- Which of the REF outputs have resulted from your work as a technician (even if your role was not recognised)?
- Are there output categories that should be added to the list of REF categories to better represent the work of technicians?
- How should the work of technical staff be recognised by your research organisation or University?
Notes: https://tinyurl.com/HETS2025
How to...
- Choose someone to chair and someone to take notes
- Discuss the three questions
- Make notes in the form found at: https://tinyurl.com/HETS2025
- 5-10 minutes before the end, we'll try and do some reporting back
Thank you!
@sjh5000
ORCID: 0000-0002-6809-5195, EPSRC Grant no: EP/S021779/1
Licence
© Simon Hettrick. These slides are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International : https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
Link to slides
https://slides.com/simonhettrick/hets-2025
sjh@ecs.soton.ac.uk
Image credits
- Earth rise: public domain with thanks to NASA
- Bhurj Khalifa: CC-BY-SA courtesy Donaldytong
- Bungalow: CC-BY-SA courtesy Peter Wyatt
- Lego man: CC-BY courtesy Brickset
How should the work of technicians be recognised by universities and by the REF?
By Simon Hettrick
How should the work of technicians be recognised by universities and by the REF?
HETS 2025 workshop on technician recognition
