84 university plusvs research center

paper.tex

@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ \section{Introduction}
 This is our general term for the central RSE team throughout this paper.
 These RSE Hubs can take the form of, \eg{} full RSE units, smaller RSE groups, Open Source Program Offices (OSPOs), virtually across multiple units or combined under single leadership,
  depending on the environment of the hosting research organisation.
-All of these implementations are considered, taking into account the large variety of research environments in Germany.
+All of these implementations are considered, taking into account the large variety of research environments in Germany which include not only universities, but also research consortia and other research performing organisations.
 
 \section{Motivation for central RSE units}
 \begin{quotation}
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ \subsection{Pooling: a necessary ingredient}
 % side-note: it's also similar to “inhouse consulting” in management\autocite{moscho_inhouse_consulting_2010}. They even formed a national network to raise awareness about the internal consultant role (https://inhouse-consulting.de/).
 Subject matter experts like software architects, database administrators and other tooling specialists are organised centrally and share their knowledge by consulting with decentralised projects.
 It makes economic sense to organise such staff centrally since not every project can afford or needs such RSE FTEs.
-Most academic research organisations have established centralised tooling, \eg{} storage or High-Performance-Computing\ (HPC), but only a few consider software development and consultancy a relevant service yet.
+Large academic research organisations have established centralised infrastructures, \eg{} storage or High-Performance-Computing\ (HPC), but only a few consider software development and consultancy a relevant service yet.
 
 A second and equally important pooling is that of \textbf{diverse knowledge}.
 RSE units act as knowledge hubs in a network of academic developers within an organisation~\autocite{Elsholz2006}.
@@ -170,14 +170,14 @@ \subsubsection{Existing RSE efforts}
 
 \todo{FLO+PMS: They are not an example for an institutional RSE structure. We can scrap this, paragraph starting here} The Carpentries\footnote{\url{https://carpentries.org}}\autocite{Wilson2006} exemplify a similar success story\footnote{Carpentries25 Testimonial Series: \url{https://carpentries.org/blog/tag/carpentries25/}}.
 \todo{Assertion-citation mismatch.} Requests or suggestions for even more training show the need for such services\footnote{Carpentries Incubator and Carpentries Lab: \url{https://carpentries.org/lesson-development/community-lessons/}}.
-RSE services which benefit all disciplines/departments may represent a unique selling point for organisations competing for the brightest minds, see the examples from leading German universities above.\todo{PMS: Scrap whole paragraph except for first sentence?}
+RSE services which benefit all disciplines/departments may represent a unique selling point for organisations competing for the brightest minds, see the examples from leading German research performing organisations above.\todo{PMS: Scrap whole paragraph except for first sentence?}
 
 %Given that RDM training or coordination is a centralized effort in most organisations, the time has come to implement a similar structure for research software services.
 %Such a group may extend or include RDM or collaborate with such service teams.
 %See the Vision and Realization sections below for more details.
 
 In the UK, for example, many universities started initiating dedicated RSE units about a decade ago~\autocite{Crouch2013}.
-The successful establishment of such staff is a role model for similar academic organisations worldwide.
+The successful establishment of such staff is a role model for similar research performing organisations worldwide.
 A range of already-existing RSE units can be seen in this map: \url{https://society-rse.org/community/rse-groups/} \todo{FLO+PMS: mention that this map is not current and add further data.}.
 In the UK, for example, almost all grant applications include software development in their budget.
 This allocated money can then be utilised to delegate/dispatch a central RSE person or group into a research project for a few weeks or months as necessary.
@@ -245,8 +245,8 @@ \subsection{External expectations}
 \section{Vision}%
 \label{sec:vision}
 In the following, we describe our vision of central RSE units at research institutions in Germany.
-As these institutions include universities, other colleges, as well as large associations like Max-Planck, Helmholtz, Fraunhofer, or Leibniz,
-they show a wide variety in organisational structure as well as internal scientific diversity.
+Institutions is, for our purposes, a broad term including universities, other colleges, associations like Max-Planck, Helmholtz, Fraunhofer, or Leibniz, as well as other research performing organisations,
+since they show a wide variety in organisational structure as well as internal scientific diversity.
 Thus, there can be no single optimal concept of such an RSE unit for all research institutions in Germany.
 We instead describe modular components that can be mixed and matched based on the respective local environment.
 
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ \subsection{Module 3: Development Services}%
 The Scientific IT Services of ETH Zurich (SIS) started in 2013 with a handful of members and has (as of March 2024) around 50 members.
 In addition to HPC services, the group also offers RSE services in various areas.
 These include the development of software applications for RDM, support in the development and improvement of scientific software or the long-term maintenance of software developed in research groups.
-In addition, SIS offers services in the areas of data science, machine learning, bioinformatics, trusted compute environments, training and consulting, and training and consulting.
+In addition, SIS offers services in the areas of data science, machine learning, bioinformatics, trusted compute environments, and training and consulting.
 
 \subsection{Module 4: Teaching Services}%
 \label{sec:teaching}
@@ -383,15 +383,15 @@ \subsection{Module 5: Create a Network of Institutional Partners}%
 However, note that as research organisations can differ widely from one another, so can the tasks and even existence of the entities below.
 Arguments and conclusions below have to be adapted to specific circumstances when applying them to specific environments.
 
-All research institutions in Germany do have a \textbf{computing centre} of one form or another.
-At the very least, these are the persons that deal with the every-day IT-need of the institution:
+All research institutions in Germany can use the services provided by a \textbf{computing centre} in one form or another.
+At the very least, these are the service providers that deal with the every-day IT-need of the institution:
 Internet access, Email, Web, central administration of computers (at least that of administrative staff), etc.
 Typically, the assigned tasks of the computing centre are not research-driven, or also the staff does not have a research background.
 However, research software often has to work within the environment provided by the computing centre.
 A central RSE unit can help to either adapt the research software or even the environment such that the needs of researchers can be met.
 It is not unusual that this requires a level of engagement and understanding of the underlying research concepts that the staff of the computing centre cannot provide alone.
 
-A second important partner is the local \textbf{library}, which has already gained tasks much beyond the preservation and organisation of publications on physical paper for quite some time.
+If available, a second important partner is a scientific \textbf{library}, which has already gained tasks much beyond the preservation and organisation of publications on physical paper for quite some time.
 Besides digital forms of rather traditional publications, these more and more include digital data and recently also software publications, their discovery and citation.
 With the dedicated help of RSEs, research software can be enabled to be added to the organisational bibliography, facilitating internal reporting.
 At the same time, through collaboration with the library, the RSE group can address the first two letters of FAIR:\@ Findability and Accessibility.
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ \subsection{Module 6: RSE Infrastructure Provisioning}%
 IT and (potentially high-performance) computing infrastructure provisioning is usually the purview of an institution's IT department and/or a computing centre.
 However, a central RSE unit can provide extra services by acting as an intermediary for RSE infrastructure and by hosting pilot instances of new tools and services.
 IT departments typically only provide the service for hosting and accessing IT infrastructures, such as RSE infrastructures.
-Central RSE units are a link between the central services offered either by IT departments, computing centres or over-archlingly available services on one side,
+Central RSE units are a link between the central services offered either by IT departments, computing centres or over-archingly available services on one side,
 and RSEs in spokes on the other, offering documentation, training and best-practices to efficiently and effectively use available services and comply with established processes.
 
 Furthermore, the central RSE unit can offer consulting for RSEs in spokes to guide selection processes of the tools and services best suited for each project.
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ \subsection{Module 8: Software Maintenance Service}%
 An RSE hub with long term core staff can partially solve this problem by taking over maintenance tasks.
 In order for this to be feasible two criteria need to be met:
 \begin{itemize}
-\item the software needs to be developed according to software engineering best practices with a strong emphasis on testing and continuous integration.
+\item The software needs to be developed according to software engineering best practices with a strong emphasis on testing and continuous integration.
 \item The RSE hub needs to be involved during the development period either through development or consultation services in order to ensure that best practices are followed and the required knowledge is transferred to the hub.
 \end{itemize}
 
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@ \section{Realisation Strategy}%
 
 We propose building blocks for individual realisation strategies for central institutional RSE units.
 We start by listing different possibilities for funding RSE positions at a research institution.
-Following that, we describe a potential transition pathway, starting from existing structures that have grown in research alliances such as DFG-funded Collaborative Research Centres or also in research departments of an institution.
+Following that, we describe a potential transition pathway, starting from existing structures that have grown in research alliances such as \eg{} DFG-funded Collaborative Research Centres or also in research departments of an institution.
 This is complemented by discussing the opportunity of outsourcing RSE services and the challenging task of identifying and hiring suitable RSE candidates.
 
 \subsection{Funding Possibilities}%
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ \subsection{Funding Possibilities}%
 \end{enumerate}
 
 In addition to these funding options, we encourage funding agencies to provide seed funding for the establishment of RSE structures.
-Such seed grants ease the local decision making process and give RSEs the leeway to establish collaborations with researchers without the direct need to ask for remuneration.
+Such seed grants ease the decision making process in organisations and give RSEs the leeway to establish collaborations with researchers without the direct need to ask for remuneration.
 
 % We see two possibilities to acquire additional funds.
 % Some can come from the convergence of existing central structures.
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@ \subsubsection{Initial Measures}
 Forming a network of RSEs localised at an institution can be initiated by any existing RSE individual or group that is preferably already in contact with other RSEs at the institution.
 An institutional dedicated mailing list, chat group and possibly other communication platforms can be created and a request for participation can be circulated via institutional channels such as an employee newsletter.
 First common events such as social gatherings or RSE-related seminar talks can be organised and announced via the communication platform.
-This process can be accompanied, facilitated and strengthened by founding a local de-RSE chapter.
+If the initiative is geographically local, this process can be accompanied, facilitated and strengthened by founding a local de-RSE chapter\footnote{A list of existing chapters: \url{https://de-rse.org/chapter/}.}.
 Such network-building has been successfully initiated and implemented at several German research institutions such as the German Aerospace Center and the Forchungszentrum Jülich.
 
 \paragraph{Pooling of existing teaching materials and training offers}