I have been working as a RSE since starting my MPhil/PhD in computational chemistry in 1997. As my RSE career has gone on I have generally moved to working with broader ranges of researchers; first in chemistry and then, since I moved to EPCC, across many different disciplines. I particularly love the fact that I am continually learning new things, both in terms of tools and technologies and also in terms of research subjects. This constant development and the opportunity to work a wide range of interesting people is, for me, the reason why working as an RSE is so exciting.

As a trustee, I have two specific goals that I would like to help the Society achieve over my term:

1. Strengthening the integration between the Society and the UK HPC community. I want to use my unique position within the UK HPC community to make sure that RSEs and the Society have a voice within the UK national HPC services (ARCHER, DiRAC, Tier-2) and the HPC-SIG to the mutual benefit of all.

2. Our Society will be stronger and more effective if it is diverse and inclusive, but many people are held back from contributing by structural discrimination within our communities and wider society. I want to make sure that the Society is taking practical proactive steps to address this and is a strong ally in efforts to address structural discrimination within our communities and wider society.

Having helped start the transition from the informal Association to the Society, I am also keen to carry on and help the Society through its initial years of life. It is an extremely exciting time for the organisation of RSEs and I still think I have a lot to offer – in enthusiasm, ideas and skills – to help make the Society a success.