Building the Future of the RSE-AUNZ Community: Opportunities, Strategy, and Engagement

The Research Software Engineer Australia New Zealand (RSE-AUNZ) community has grown to 479 members, supporting professionals who are essential to the digital future of research.

This presentation will provide an overview of RSE-AUNZ’s current state, recent achievements, and its strategic path toward a sustainable, inclusive community. With goals to connect members through local meetups and tech talks, raise the profile of RSEs, foster diversity, and build a strong community, RSE-AUNZ aims to empower individuals and strengthen the digital research ecosystem.

We will discuss efforts to grow active engagement, including appointing local and domain-specific champions, developing resources to enhance career pathways, and seeking collaborations with other communities to create a broader network of practice. Smaller, cross-domain talks and regional meetups are in development to make participation accessible and rewarding, while plans for grant support are underway to secure lasting growth.

In addressing both the challenges and the future of research software engineering in Australasia, this session will demonstrate how RSE-AUNZ is helping to shape a robust, supportive community that values skill development and sustained engagement — paving the way for new digital horizons in research. 

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Mercedes Randell

Mercedes Randell is a Research Communities Advisor at New Zealand eScience Infrastructure (NeSI), where she fosters collaboration within the research software engineering community. With a background in neuroscience, her research focused on how cognitive processes such as attention and memory influence decision-making and learning. Having worked in the research community, Mercedes is a strong advocate for accessible and open science. She is passionate about supporting the development and adoption of open tools in research software. Additionally, Mercedes serves as a Steering Committee Co-Chair for RSE-AUNZ.

Rowland Mosbergen

Rowland Mosbergen is a Research Software Engineer at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) in Melbourne, Australia. With over 25 years of experience in IT, he specialises in designing, developing, and implementing research data analytics solutions. Rowland is also a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion advocate and writer, focusing on creating inclusive environments within the research community. He has contributed to various initiatives aimed at fostering diversity and inclusion in research software engineering. Rowland is on the steering committee for RSE-AUNZ and is the RSE-AUNZ representative on the International Council of RSE Associations.

Mandeep Sinha

Dr. Manodeep Sinha works on Australian climate change models within ACCESS-NRI at the Australian National University (ANU). Previously, he was a Senior Research Software Scientist at Swinburne University of Technology, where he worked on astrophysical simulations, including galaxy evolution and reionisation. Manodeep is also the founder of RSE-AUNZ chapter, where he promotes accessibility and collaboration in research software development across various scientific domains, including climate science and astronomy.

Peter Marendy

Dr Peter Marendy is the Head of Data and Software Solutions at the Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation (QCIF), where he leads initiatives to provide advanced data services to the research community. With over 20 years of experience in software engineering across various research and innovation domains, Peter has contributed to numerous projects aimed at advancing computational informatics. Prior to his role at QCIF, Peter worked at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), focusing on computational informatics. Rowland is on the steering committee for RSE-AUNZ.

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For more information about the eResearch NZ / eRangahau Aotearoa conference, visit:
https://eresearchnz.co.nz/