CW25 will centre around future proofing research software and how we evolve together as a diverse community. Over three days, delegates will be invited to take part in discussion sessions, collaborative ideas sessions, and hack day sessions, to explore together and create together.
Keynote: Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
The CW25 organising and steering committees are delighted to announce the first of three distinguished keynote speakers, who will open the event with a thought-provoking take on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the future of Research Software.
Ruth Nanjala | |
| Ruth Nanjala is a dedicated leader shaping impactful initiatives in research, mentorship, and community building. She previously served as a Research Partner with the Software Sustainability Institute (SSI) for the Inclusive Research Software Engineering (RSE) project, contributing to efforts that promote equity and accessibility in RSE. Ruth founded "My Science Journey" platform to connect scientists across career stages, fostering a vibrant community that promotes networking, mentorship, and inspiration for future generations of scientists. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Medicine at the University of Oxford, where her research integrates computational and statistical approaches to human genetics. Passionate about sustainable and inclusive research practices, Ruth actively engages in open science, interdisciplinary collaborations, and capacity-building initiatives to advance equitable access to data-driven methodologies. |
Panel Discussion: the importance of EDI for the future of Research Software
In addition to the keynotes, CW25 will feature an engaging panel discussion led by professionals with a keen interest in EDI in Research Software. Panellists will dive deep into timely topics and discuss the importance of EDI for the future of Research Software.
Ella Kaye | |
 | Ella Kaye is a Research Software Engineer in the Department of Statistics at the University of Warwick, UK, and a fellow of the Software Sustainability Institute. She works to increase sustainability and EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) in the R Project. She also runs rainbowR, a community of practice that connects, supports and promotes LGBTQ+ people who code in R, and spreads awareness of LGBTQ+ issues through data-driven activism. |
Eli Chadwick | |
 | Eli Chadwick (he/they) is a Senior Research Software Engineer at the University of Manchester. He primarily works on metadata tools and specifications, but he's also interested in training, building inclusive communities, and accessibility of research software. He is an SSI Fellow, a Carpentries Instructor, and a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies. |
Malvika Sharan | |
 | Malvika Sharan is a cofounder of OLS (Open Life Science Ltd.), a non-profit organisation dedicated to skills and capacity building in open science. Malvika is also a senior researcher at The Alan Turing Institute with a focus on open research and community building. She co-leads a team of research community managers and a community project, The Turing Way, which aims to make data science reproducible, collaborative, ethical, and inclusive for researchers around the world. Malvika is an active contributor to several open science initiatives, a Software Sustainability Institute fellow and one of the 2024 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics™. |
Pauline Nyakairu Karega | |
 | Pauline Nyakairu Karega is a second year PhD student in Earth and Environment Sciences, and Computer Science at the University of Manchester. She co-leads an initiative to increase awareness of Bioinformatics and Open Science in Kenya. |
Anita Banerji | |
 | Anita Banerji is a Research Associate at the Software Sustainability Institute. Her work includes evaluating the impact of the SSI Fellowship Programme and exploring Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity in the RSE community. Anita originally has a science background having studied Physics at Newcastle University and Computer Science at Manchester University. She was awarded a PhD in Medical Image Analysis and has worked as a post-doc in this field as well as a commercial software engineer. More recently Anita has become interested in teaching, training and development, and how we can create inclusive environments. She has done post-doc projects in Education Research and co-produced an evaluation project in Student Mental Health. |