The effect of research culture on research software
Simon Hettrick
4 November 2025 - Research Software Symposium, Capetown, online - @sjh5000 ORCID: 0000-0002-6809-5195
www.software.ac.uk
Software sustainability as default behaviour requires a change in research culture
Is software important?
Use software
Fundamental to results
69%
92%
n=417
Who's writing all the software?
Researcher
Software
Engineer
Research
Software
Engineer
~10,000 RSEs worldwide
Image courtesy Ian Cosden
What do we care about?
Discovery, reliability, reproducibility, transparency.
What do research organisations care about?
Publications are the Bhurj Khalifa
Height = 830m
Software is a matchbox
~ 5cm
(standing on its side)
Publications are a Blue Whale
~ 120,000kg
Software is a Dachshund
~ 7kg
What's the problem with papers?
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
Show me the incentive and I will show you the outcome
- Charlie Munger
Recognising all research outputs and all the people needed to conduct research will make research more equitable and more effective.
Recognising all research outputs and every role that makes research possible
www.hidden-ref.org
This will allow the submission of outputs by any staff member, including non-academic staff.
Staff
Also staff
https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-research-councils-2024-11-ref-brings-on-board-initiative-championing-hidden-research
If we recognise everyone who is vital to research,
we advance our ability to conduct research.
Thank you!
s.hettrick@software.ac.uk
ORCID: 0000-0002-6809-5195, UKRI grant no: AH/Z000114/1
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/software-and-culture-2025