DRI-focussed training for research facilitators and teams (DRIFT)

Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI) is now ubiquitous in research. It has revolutionised the way that we conduct research, pervading all aspects of the research lifecycle. From the use of large-scale computing for machine-learning and big data, to the management of experiments for record keeping and reproducibility, research is powered by the software and hardware that have become vital for modern researchers. This requires new skills and forms of research collaboration, as research supported by DRI aims at larger scales and interdisciplinary collaboration.

DRIFT aims to address the lack of DRI training for research support roles, in particular within interdisciplinary research teams, and to improve visibility of DRI outside of physical sciences and engineering. Developing support for research facilitators is particularly important, as they play a vital and trusted role in nurturing links between technical professionals and the research community, thus enhancing the impact of the skills development activities we are undertaking.

We aim to increase the impact of DRI through greater awareness and understanding, and more effective use. We have three main objectives: supporting research facilitators working within communities that could benefit from DRI offerings so that they can efficiently assist researchers understand its advantages; training research teams in skills that benefit collaboration, team science, and inter- or multi-disciplinary working; and community engagement with a wider range of research institutions and disciplines focussing on those without existing direct access to institutional HPC services. These objectives will be achieved through development of courses and other content for both research facilitators and research teams, community engagement through DRI awareness roadshows (including small demonstration HPC clusters), and the extension and improvement of the open-source Gutenberg training platform. This will improve the way that the expertise required to efficiently and effectively use DRI is developed within the research community. 

DRIFT is funded by UKRI.