The Trustees and conference committee would like to share some updates on our upcoming annual conference, which will take place in Sheffield in September this year.

Trustee Statement on RSECon26

RSECon26 will go ahead at The Wave at the University of Sheffield as planned.

The trustees and the RSECon26 steering committee have been monitoring the dispute between UCU and the University of Sheffield. We’ve been working hard with the conference steering committee to consider our options. We are grateful to all who investigated alternatives, and to the 163 community members who responded to our survey. Hopefully, this brings clarity so everyone can plan accordingly.

This was a difficult and finely balanced decision, and we set out our reasoning in our full statement.

We understand that many people will be disappointed or upset with this decision, and we want to support your individual choices regarding the boycott:

• Refunds: We are extending the deadline to 20 July for full refunds of in-person tickets (remote is 31 July as it stands) for anyone who chooses not to attend.
• Speaker Accommodations: We respect the decision of any speaker, interactive session or satellite event leader who wishes to withdraw. We ask that any speaker or session organiser wishing to withdraw please contact the organising committee no later than 13 July.

Questions or concerns about this decision should go to the trustees at [email protected], not the conference committee.

RSECon26 Updates

The 10th UK Conference for Research Software Engineering will take place from 9-11 September in Sheffield, co-located with the first International Research Software Conference, being organised by our friends at ReSA.

Registration is Open

Secure your spot at RSECon26. Whether you are attending in person or remotely, RSECon26 is the perfect opportunity to learn, network and collaborate with professionals across the community. Register today to join us for engaging talks, workshops and networking sessions.

Keynote Speakers Announced

The full lineup of keynote speakers for RSECon26 has now been revealed.

• Dr. Arfon Smith is a Senior Fellow at Schmidt Sciences, JOSS founder and former GitHub Director of Product.
• Dr. Leah Wasser is the Founder and Executive Director of pyOpenSci.
• Claire Wyatt is the RSE Community Manager at Forschungszentrum Jülich and a founding trustee of the Society of RSE.

Join us to hear their insights and connect with the wider research software engineering community.

Bursary Applications: Second Round Open – DEADLINE FRIDAY!

Did you miss the first round of bursaries? The second and final deadline is open until 10 July 2026. We are committed to providing an accessible conference and offer support for UK travel and accommodation, international support, hidden costs and free registration. We strongly encourage applications from early-career RSEs, students, international attendees and anyone facing extra costs. Apply today!

Reviewing a Record Number of Submissions for RSECon26

Do you want to take a look behind the scenes of RSECon26? Were you surprised that your submission wasn’t accepted, despite very positive feedback from reviewers? In this blog post, Jost Migenda (RSECon26 Talks Chair) gives a step-by-step explanation of the selection process, including some statistics showing how incredibly tough it was to select from a record number of extremely high-quality submissions.

Nominate Outstanding RSEs for Awards

Celebrate the outstanding work happening in our community! You can nominate colleagues, groups or yourself for a Community Award (Rising Star, Training & Education or Impact) or the Green RSE Award. It does not matter if the person has an official RSE title as long as they are doing RSE work. Recognising someone’s hard work makes a huge difference.

Please submit your nominations before the deadline on 13 July 2026.

Grab Your Official SocRSE Merchandise

Show your community pride and get ready for RSECon26 with our official merchandise! You can grab t-shirts, hoodies and other great items to commemorate the 10th annual conference, as well as a range of other products, including the RSE Unicorn. Check out the shop and order your gear today.

Profits from the sale of merchandise go into the Society’s Participation and Inclusion Fund.

Thank you for your patience and your ongoing commitment to our community during this challenging time. Please be assured that the trustees and conference committee will continue to work to deliver a successful RSECon and look forward to welcoming the community to Sheffield in September.

Reminder: If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Trustees.

The Comms Team,
on behalf of the Trustees and RSECon26 Organising Committee.