In 2025, I attended the launch of the CaSDaR Network+ platform in Birmingham, UK. Careers and Skills for Data-driven Research (CaSDaR) aims to help to define the role of Data Stewards within the UK research landscape and advocate for their recognition and representation across institutions. The programme featured insights from its project partners ELIXIR-UK, UK Reproducibility Network, Digital Curation Centre and Physical Sciences Data Infrastructure, and culminated with the launch of the CaSDaR funding call.

I delivered a lightning talk about the DIRECT, the UK community developed Research Technical Professionals (RTP) skills framework (see previous SSI blog posts). There was ample opportunity to discuss common interests with people from across the country and further during the poster sessions.  

A highlight for me was the keynote presentation by Anneke Lubben (University of Bath). She spoke about leadership from the perspective of someone who progressed from a research technical professional background, rather than a traditional academic route. When presented with a crisis, she advises people to focus on fires not fireworks: Fireworks will happen regardless but will fizzle out whatever you do; fires will generally burn the house down so you need to get involved. If you can identify whether the crisis is a fire or a firework, proceed accordingly. 

Finally, a takeaway action I set myself was to look into the RCM Cooperative, for research community managers. This new initiative was described by SSI Fellow Emma Karoune as part of her presentation on the Turing Way, and is another network of people in roles similar to my own. I plan to find more opportunities here to collaborate and share experiences so that I can continue to improve my professional development.