Why Do We Need Diversity in Research Software Engineering?

This presentation—Why Do We Need Diversity in Research Software Engineering?—shares the intersecting journeys of two contributors to the global research software community: a Ukrainian computer scientist based in Scotland and a Nigerian nurse-turned-technologist. Though from very different worlds, their collaboration through the Software Sustainability Institute (SSI) became a springboard for advocacy, inclusion, and systems change within the research ecosystem. Grounded in lived experience, the talk explores real-world barriers such as visa restrictions, underrepresentation, and imposter syndrome. It also highlights the powerful role of community-centered organisations like OLS (formerly Open Life Science), The Carpentries, and the SSI in fostering growth, mentorship, and belonging. Beyond storytelling, the presentation offers actionable strategies for institutions and individuals to support diversity—from funding mentorship pairs and rethinking visa policies, to intentionally citing underrepresented voices and creating psychologically safe environments. This talk is a call to action to reimagine who gets to contribute to research and research software—and how we can all help make that future more inclusive, sustainable, and human.