Reflections from another successful NZRSE Conference
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2024 New Zealand Research Software Engineering Conference (NZRSE 2024)!
The two-day event was filled with insightful discussions, cutting-edge research, and lively networking that brought our community closer together. From AI safety to fostering impactful collaborations, this year’s conference focused on the theme "Empowering Communities Through Research Software: From Innovation to Impact".
Missed joining us online?
Keynote highlights
We were privileged to have two outstanding keynote speakers:
Dr. Andrew Chen kicked off the conference with a powerful discussion on AI bias and safety, challenging us to think beyond eliminating bias and towards building fairness into AI systems.
Dr. Eryn Kwon inspired us with her work on mild traumatic brain injury detection and the importance of community engagement in research. She underscored how Research Software Engineering is key to delivering innovative, impactful solutions.
Day 1 recap
The first day of the conference started with Dr. Andrew Chen’s keynote and followed with engaging sessions from esteemed speakers:
Session 1: Presentations by Dr. Petra Muellner, Dr. Alexander Pletzer, and Dr. Paula Martinez, covering data analytics, scientific computing, and research reproducibility.
Session 2: Demos from Dr. Hilary Oliver and Dr. Bushra Anam, and a thought-provoking presentation by Mr. Nick Snellgrove.
Session 3: Talks by Dr. Chris Scott and Dr. Maxime Rio, which explored advances in computational techniques.
Day 2 recap
Day 2 brought even more stimulating discussions:
Keynote by Dr. Eryn Kwon: A deep dive into community-centric research and the pivotal role of research software in solving complex societal issues.
Session 4: Fascinating demos by Dr. Michael Coe and Mr. Jun Huh.
Session 5: Presentations by Ms. Shanna Tervoot-McLeod and Dr. Wolfgang Hayek, discussing computational frameworks and the environment.
BoF Session: We closed with an interactive "Birds of a Feather" discussion led by Mrs. Mercedes Randell and Mr. Rowland Mosbergen, facilitating a deep conversation on challenges and opportunities in Research Software Engineering.
Looking ahead to NZRSE 2025
The excitement for next year is already building. We can’t wait to welcome you back for even more groundbreaking conversations, workshops, and opportunities to strengthen our community. Stay tuned to the NZRSE website or join our mailing list for updates on next year’s event.
Acknowledgements
Finally, we’d like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the organising committee, speakers, and attendees for making NZRSE 2024 such a success:
- Dr. Nisha Ghatak (NeSI)
- Mrs. Mercedes Randell (NeSI, RSE-AUNZ)
- Ms. Janet Stacey (ESR)
- Dr. Rina Hannaford (AgResearch)
- Dr. Wolfgang Hayek (NIWA)
- Dr. Olivia Angelin-Bonnet (Plant and Food Research)
Let’s continue to grow the Research Software Engineering community together, and we look forward to seeing you all in 2025!
