Jensen Eric A, Katz Daniel S
National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
F1000Res. 2025 Jan 6;13:1447. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.155879.2. eCollection 2024.
Research software is increasingly recognized as critical infrastructure in contemporary science. It spans a broad spectrum, including source code files, algorithms, scripts, computational workflows, and executables, all created for or during research. While research funders have developed programs, initiatives, and policies to bolster research software's role, there has been no empirical study of how these funders prioritize support for research software. Understanding their priorities is essential to clarify where current support is concentrated and to identify strategic gaps.
We conducted an online mixed methods survey of international research funders (n=36) to explore their priorities in supporting research software. The survey gathered data on the specific outcomes funders emphasize in their programs and initiatives for research software.
The survey revealed that funders place strong emphasis on developing skills, promoting software sustainability, embedding open science practices, building community and collaboration, advancing research software funding mechanisms, increasing software visibility and use, fostering innovation, and ensuring security.
The findings highlight opportunities to enhance research software's role through increased funder attention on professional recognition for software contributions and the non-technical, social aspects of research software sustainability. Addressing these areas could lead to more effective support and development of research software, ultimately benefitting the entire research ecosystem.
研究软件在当代科学中日益被视为关键基础设施。它涵盖范围广泛，包括为研究创建或在研究过程中创建的源代码文件、算法、脚本、计算工作流程和可执行文件。虽然研究资助者已制定计划、举措和政策来加强研究软件的作用，但尚未有关于这些资助者如何确定对研究软件支持优先级的实证研究。了解他们的优先事项对于明确当前支持集中在何处以及识别战略差距至关重要。
我们对国际研究资助者（n = 36）进行了一项在线混合方法调查，以探讨他们在支持研究软件方面的优先事项。该调查收集了资助者在其研究软件计划和举措中强调的具体成果的数据。
调查显示，资助者高度重视培养技能、促进软件可持续性、融入开放科学实践、建立社区与合作、推进研究软件资助机制、提高软件可见性和使用率、促进创新以及确保安全。
研究结果突出了通过资助者更多关注对软件贡献的专业认可以及研究软件可持续性的非技术、社会方面来增强研究软件作用的机会。解决这些领域的问题可能会带来对研究软件更有效的支持和开发，最终使整个研究生态系统受益。
