1. Benefits of harmonising R&E network and NGI Research Engagement activities
Jan Bot, SURFsara
31/5/2017
Research Engagement and the Sociology of Global Collaborations

2. SURF for research

3. Challenges for SURF
Only a (relatively) small group knows how to find us and use our services
Support model does not scale for LToS
Position of SURF: local vs national vs international
Expected increase usage of e-infrastructure by less tech-savvy users

4. e-Infrastructure landscape in NL
Where to get facilities?
Where to get training, support?
Grants + guidelines
Research infrastructure
International
Examples from the life sciences
Dutch
Institutional
RUG Lifelines
LUMC Shark Cluster
VUMC NCAGRID

5. The ICT support triangle
Local ICT
support
Advice, training, hands-on support
Train-the-trainer
Shape collaboration
scientist
SURF
Advice, training, hands-on support

6. Portfolio integration at the institutes
Goal
Bring portfolio of SURF services closer to researcher
Activities
Created uniform portfolio of SURF services
Integrated portfolio on local website or intranet
Delft university of Technology
University of Groningen
VU Medical Center
Leiden University
Hanzehogeschool
Maastricht University Medical Center
Impact
Local research supporters part of route towards national e-infrastructure
Triggered discussion: adding services of the institutes to the SURF portfolio
Currently hard to trace success of activity

7. State of affairs research support NL
Goal
Chart the state of affairs of research support at universities and university medical centers
Results
4 initial reports bundled into one publication
1 additional report published at beginning of 2017
3 reports being finalised (as of March 2017)
1 abandoned due to internal restructuring of institute
Impact
Active uptake from the community: institutional visits between research institutes without SURF involvement
International uptake
Contacts from South Africa & USA
Presentations at DI4R, e-IRG & EGI conferences

8. Collaborating with research funders
Goal
Help shape e-infrastructure requirements and funding at the proposal stage of research projects
Activities
Presented SURF services during Netherlands eScience Center call information sessions
Organised first national e-infrastructure session for NWO Roadmap (Dutch ESFRI) participants
Assigned points of contact to projects
Impact
Alignment of e-infrastructure needs early in the project planning phase

9. Lessons learned Research support goes beyond ICT
Grants, statistics, experiment setup, machinery, etc.
Most local ICT groups want to be involved in e-infrastructure support
Stick to ‘local first’ principle
Institutes with own e-infrastructure see a role for themselves on the (inter-)national level
Researchers & supporters want one point of contact for all e-infrastructure services
Viable alternative: no-wrong-door policy
The perceived value of (inter-)national e-infrastructure providers is in expertise, not in machines
Training is required, both for research supporters and scientists
e-infrastructure related
Generic ICT skills (basic programming, version control, Unix proficiency, etc.)

10. Lessons learned
Know your target audience and find a scalable way to reach them
Probably a heterogeneous group of people who do not know each other
Set concrete goals and evaluate regularly
Goals can be ‘high level’ which allows you to evaluate different approaches
Need to address shortage of ‘hands-on’ research support staff
Don’t look at the ICT department, they are already understaffed
Diversity of NREN and NGI contacts ensures easier collaboration with the institutions

11. Would you like to know more? www.surf.nl/Support4research
Cards
Video clips
Jan Bot 11

12. The European e-infrastructure landscape
PRACE
EGI
EUDAT

13. Network landscape
Outreach activities
Core users