Research Computing Engagement: a skill for many, a job for few
File(s)
Author(s)
Lumley, Emily
Type
Presentation
Abstract
Research or advanced computing services at universities are growing and expanding in scale and complexity and it is becoming increasingly important to engage users effectively so that the services are designed and run with them, not just for them. In many institutions this work is done by people whose job titles vary widely – or for whom “engagement’ is only one part of a much broader role – yet the underlying skills and competencies are remarkably similar and increasingly essential.
Since taking on a dedicated Research Engagement Lead role, I have connected with colleagues throughout the research computing network; Infrastructure Engineers, Research Software Engineers (RSE), data science support, library and digital scholarship teams, and other digital Research Technical Professional (dRTP) roles. Across these communities, core engagement competencies repeatedly emerge: active listening and translation between researcher and technical perspectives; community-building and facilitation; understanding research workflows and pain points; strategic communication; and the ability to influence infrastructure and service decisions without always having formal authority.
This talk will use examples from my time at Imperial College London and discussions with colleagues in other institutions to illustrate how these skills are applied in practice – from “light-touch” activities such as newsletters and drop-in sessions, through to deeper collaborations that shape the design and adoption of new computing systems. Rather than focusing on specific technologies, it will emphasise the transferable capabilities that underpin effective engagement, and how these can be developed and recognised within institutions.
By framing research computing engagement as a cross-cutting skill set, rather than a narrowly defined job, the talk aims to offer practical insights for the HPC-SIG community: how to identify and support staff already doing this work, how to embed engagement into technical projects, and how community-focused practice can contribute to sustainability, responsible use of resources, and more impactful digital research infrastructure.
Since taking on a dedicated Research Engagement Lead role, I have connected with colleagues throughout the research computing network; Infrastructure Engineers, Research Software Engineers (RSE), data science support, library and digital scholarship teams, and other digital Research Technical Professional (dRTP) roles. Across these communities, core engagement competencies repeatedly emerge: active listening and translation between researcher and technical perspectives; community-building and facilitation; understanding research workflows and pain points; strategic communication; and the ability to influence infrastructure and service decisions without always having formal authority.
This talk will use examples from my time at Imperial College London and discussions with colleagues in other institutions to illustrate how these skills are applied in practice – from “light-touch” activities such as newsletters and drop-in sessions, through to deeper collaborations that shape the design and adoption of new computing systems. Rather than focusing on specific technologies, it will emphasise the transferable capabilities that underpin effective engagement, and how these can be developed and recognised within institutions.
By framing research computing engagement as a cross-cutting skill set, rather than a narrowly defined job, the talk aims to offer practical insights for the HPC-SIG community: how to identify and support staff already doing this work, how to embed engagement into technical projects, and how community-focused practice can contribute to sustainability, responsible use of resources, and more impactful digital research infrastructure.
Date Issued
2026-02-23
Citation
2026
Copyright Statement
© 2026 The Author(s).
Coverage Spatial
HPC-SIG Leeds