Simon Hettrick
Professor Simon Hettrick is Director of Strategy at the Software Sustainability Institute, and a Director of the Southampton Research Software Group.
Making research more equitable and more effective
Simon Hettrick
23 July 2025 - Open Research Interest Group, online ORCID: 0000-0002-6809-5195
If we don't recognise everyone that is vital to research,
we limit our ability to conduct research.
A bit of history
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 recognise that software is so fundamentally important to research?
WHY ARE WE HERE?
Discovery
Reliability
Reproducibility
Transparency
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
Recognising not-traditionally submitted outputs (NTOs) and all the people needed to conduct research (Hidden Roles) makes research more equitable and more effective.
...and more open
What are the barriers to change?
- Fear of affecting funding
- Lack of awareness
- Lack of guidance
- Inherent difficulty of comparison
Recognising all research outputs and every role that makes research possible
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.
Impact
2025-2030
Text
Thinktank, Birmingham
7-8 October 2025
If we recognise everyone that is vital to research,
we advance our ability to conduct research.
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/orig-2025
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
Making research more equitable and more effective: the Hidden REF
By Simon Hettrick
Making research more equitable and more effective: the Hidden REF
Talk on Hidden REF for the Open Research Interest Group at Taylor & Francis
