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:

  1. Which of the REF outputs have resulted from your work as a technician (even if your role was not recognised)?
  2. Are there output categories that should be added to the list of REF categories to better represent the work of technicians?
  3. How should the work of technical staff be recognised by your research organisation or University?

 

Notes: https://tinyurl.com/HETS2025

How to...

  1. Choose someone to chair and someone to take notes
  2. Discuss the three questions
  3. Make notes in the form found at: https://tinyurl.com/HETS2025
  4. 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

Email

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