2025 Steering Committee Candidate Information
Published: Nov 11, 2025
Candidates for the 2025 US-RSE Steering Committee election are listed below. Five of these candidates will be elected for a two-year term starting January 2026.
If you have questions for the candidates, or questions about the election, please use the #election channel on Slack. You must be registered as a member by Friday, November 14th to be eligible to vote in this election.
Candidates are listed in alphabetical order.
- Abbey Roelofs
- Abrar Hossain
- Alex Koufos
- Ian Cosden
- Jeff Carver
- Keith Beattie
- Pengyin Shan
- Primus Chimdia Kabuo
More information about the candidates can be found below.
Abbey Roelofs
Why do you want to be on the US-RSE Steering Committee?
I want to continue on the Steering Committee (SC) because I believe in the work US-RSE does in building community for research software engineers and promoting the role of RSE, and I’d like to stay involved in these efforts. I’ve found US-RSE to be an extremely supportive community of people who understand the challenges and rewards of working in research software. I think it’s critical that we maintain this welcoming nature while continuing to grow the community.
In addition, being a part of the SC for the past two years has shown me that much more goes into running US-RSE than I realized. I’ve made an effort to document the behind-the scenes tasks that our SC members and other volunteers do, as well as the systems and processes we rely on, in an attempt to give US-RSE as an organization the same level of reliability and resiliency we would hope for in our research code. While this has improved, there is more to be done, and I would like the opportunity to see it through.
How do you contribute to the US-RSE Association or RSE community more broadly?
I’ve been the Deputy Treasurer of the SC for the past two years, learning about the finances of the organization and supporting the Treasurer in her work. I’ve also been a Sponsorship Chair for the past two US-RSE conferences, where I helped raise funds and coordinate finances for the conference. In addition, I’m actively involved in the US-RSE community, serving as the co-chair of the Community Calls Working Group, which aims to promote connections among RSEs by organizing monthly virtual calls on a variety of topics. I’m also a co-chair of the Code Review Working Group, which focuses on providing resources and events related to code review.
In my day-to-day work as the technical lead of an RSE group, I attempt to promote good software development practices within my group, and being a part of the US-RSE community is a great help in this. I’ve found the slack channel, community calls, and various working groups to be amazing resources to gain new insights and information, and I try to share back what I’ve learned and what’s worked for me and my group in these platforms in the hopes that they can help others as well.
Abrar Hossain
Why do you want to be on the US-RSE Steering Committee?
I’m a first-gen international PhD student and ACCESS Student Champion committed to building an inclusive RSE community, especially at smaller institutions. I’ve navigated RSE pathways without built-in networks and want to make it easier for others. My work developing research software at NCAR and NCSA has shown how vital RSEs are to science, yet how underrecognized the role is. I’ve authored educational resources (EduHiPC, book chapter), mentored researchers, and promoted HPC education through ACCESS, aligning closely with US-RSE’s mission. I want to expand outreach to underrepresented groups, support emerging RSEs, and connect with student orgs like ACM and ACCESS. With leadership experience and a passion for community-building, I’m ready to help US-RSE grow and ensure diverse voices shape its future.
How do you contribute to the US-RSE Association or RSE community more broadly?
I actively contribute to the RSE community through research, education, mentorship, and leadership, advancing both technical practice and professional recognition of research software engineering.
Research Software Development: I build production-quality, reusable HPC software, including TARDIS (a power-aware scheduler cutting costs by 18%), LASP (the first HPC autotuner for edge devices), and scalable job schedulers. At NCAR, I developed a data orchestrator improving transmission efficiency by 39% for community weather monitoring. At NCSA, I built network monitoring tools enhancing cyberinfrastructure reliability. My work supports sustainable, reusable software for the scientific community.
Education & Workforce Development: I co-authored “A Hands-On Approach to Teaching Parallel and Heterogeneous Computing” (EduHiPC’24) and am writing a book chapter on parallel computing education. I’ve led hands-on HPC workshops for high school students, mentored an undergrad to a WSC’24 publication, and routinely guide peers on HPC tools and workflows.
Community Leadership & Advocacy: As ACM UToledo President and ACCESS Student Champion, I organize career fairs and workshops, and promote cyberinfrastructure access. I review for PEARC’25 and volunteer at HiPC’24 and AGU’24. I advocate for RSE as a career path, helping students explore nontraditional academic routes and bridging computing with domain science.
Alex Koufos
Why do you want to be on the US-RSE Steering Committee?
I’m enthusiastic about Research Software Engineering because I truly believe RSEs are the essential piece for turning good research into great science.
When I finished my degree in late 2014, I already felt drawn to RSE work, albeit the term wasn’t common in the U.S. at the time. My job search led me to a position developing 3-D visual simulations for training, which sharpened my software-engineering skills but left my scientific curiosity wanting.
Moving to Stanford let me combine those skills with robotics research, where I fortunately encountered the US-RSE. Here, I found an amazing community where nearly all my interested aligned.
During the past two years as a Steering Committee member, I’ve helped connect the Stanford RSEs with the local community and have brought more scientists into the conversation through my existing collaborations. I’d like to continue building that bridge, promote the RSE role, and make it easier for others to pursue a career in this amazing field.
How do you contribute to the US-RSE Association or RSE community more broadly?
I’ve been involved with the US-RSE for roughly five years now, and in that time I’ve tried to turn my enthusiasm for RSEng into actions.
Community leadership
- Co-chair of several US-RSE groups: the Bay Area Regional Group, the Code Review Working Group, the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Working Group, and the Institutional RSE Networking Affinity Group.
- Local US-RSE representative for multiple RSE-focused initiatives on Stanford’s campus, linking the university with the broader association.
Programmatic contributions
- Helped shape the DEI mission statement and organized DEI-oriented events that highlight inclusive practices in RSEng.
- Contributed to website content and design to make information easy for newcomers.
- Presented at RSE and scientific conferences, as well as events hosted by communities of practice, e.g. PyHC, promoting the RSE role and better practices through talks, papers, and collaborations.
Future focus
- Partnering with Keith Beattie to host USRSE’26 in the SF Bay Area.
- Collaborating with Stanford faculty and staff to formalize the RSE position as an official role on campus, creating a sustainable career path for future RSEs.
Through these activities, and more, I aim to keep the US-RSE visible, inclusive, and usefulÑespecially for researchers who haven’t yet heard the term RSE. By connecting people, improving resources, and advocating for institutional recognition, I hope to strengthen the community for years to come.
Ian Cosden
Why do you want to be on the US-RSE Steering Committee?
I’ve been deeply involved with US-RSE since a few of us first got it off the ground, and have proudly served as Chair of the Steering Committee since its inception in 2019. Over the past few years, we’ve grown from an all-volunteer effort with virtually no funding to a nationally visible organization with paid staff, expanded programming (including a conference!), and a growing advocacy presence. US-RSE is at an inflection point in its maturity, and we must grow and adapt to sustain our offerings without losing our grassroots character and community-first approach. I want to continue building on our momentum by planning for long-term financial sustainability, ensuring the long-term viability of our conference series, supporting our incredible volunteers, and expanding our advocacy efforts. I remain as committed as ever to US-RSE’s mission and will work to ensure our community-first spirit thrives as we grow and solidify US-RSE’s role as a fixture in the national research ecosystem.
How do you contribute to the US-RSE Association or RSE community more broadly?
I was one of the founding members of US-RSE and have had the privilege of serving as Chair of the Steering Committee (SC) since its formation in 2019. Early on, I led the drafting of the US-RSE mission statement and have since contributed to nearly every aspect of the organization. I’ve organized and participated in panels and workshops, led the 2022 US-RSE Community Building Workshop, and served as PI on the $800k Sloan Foundation grant that enabled US-RSE to hire staff, launch new initiatives, and kickstarted the conference series. I’ve also overseen our transition to a new fiscal sponsor, serving in a fiduciary role and as volunteer Project Director prior to hiring our Executive Director (ED).
I continue to partner with our ED and SC to keep US-RSE financially sustainable and operational, and I also handle many of the behind-the-scenes tasks that keep the organization running. I advise our conference organizers, actively participate in multiple working and affinity groups, and regularly engage with community calls, events, and newsletters to keep members informed and connected.
I’m currently the Senior Director of Research Software Engineering at Princeton University. Over the last ten years I’ve grown our central RSE team from one to 39 RSEs, and regularly use this platform as a way to advocate for the role and impact of RSEs in research. Whenever and wherever possible I’m eager to share lessons learned and promote the RSE role through talks, papers, and community events.
Jeff Carver
Why do you want to be on the US-RSE Steering Committee?
As a founding member of the US-RSE Steering Committee (SC), I have enjoyed the opportunity to contribute to and help lead the growth of US-RSE from a small group to a large community of over 3000 members, including working groups and the annual conference. As we enter a new chapter, strategic planning is critical to address US-RSE’s growing pains and to maintain its vibrancy. In addition to my role as Vice-Chair of the US-RSE SC, I hold other leadership roles that provide necessary expertise for the US-RSE SC, including serving as a steering committee member for international conferences and research organizations, Editor-in-Chief for Computing in Science & Engineering magazine, and Associate Department Head for Graduate Studies in Computer Science at the University of Alabama. In addition, my own academic research and publications focus on RSE and RSEng. These experiences help me positively impact US-RSE by identifying and responding to internal blind spots and external opportunities.
How do you contribute to the US-RSE Association or RSE community more broadly?
As a founding member of the US-RSE Steering Committee, I have served in multiple roles, including Secretary, International Council Representative, and currently Vice Chair. I co-chair the US-RSE Community and Travel Funds committee. I started and co-lead the US-RSE Education & Training Working group. I co-founded and co-lead the Code Review Working Group. I am one of the US representatives on the International RSE Survey committee. I actively participate in the US-RSE conferences by organizing workshops, presenting talks, serving as a panelist, and chairing the US-RSE Working Group BoF. Beyond these specific service roles, in my work as a Professor of Computer Science studying software engineering, I have conducted and published numerous studies on RSEs and RSEng. My research continues to focus on important questions related to RSEs and RSEng. My expertise in software engineering and its application to research software as well as my role as a faculty member at an R1 University help me represent the perspective of those who conduct research on RSE and RSEng, which is important to the discussions and decisions made by the US-RSE Steering Committee. Finally, as the Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Computing in Science & Engineering, I started a new department focused specifically on RSEs. Through my service in these varied roles, I have been able to interact with many US-RSE members and learn about their views of the profession, which gives me a unique perspective on the community.
Keith Beattie
Why do you want to be on the US-RSE Steering Committee?
As a current member of the US-RSE Steering Committee, a manager of RSEs and someone who has worked as an RSE, in both industry and for the last 20+ years at a national lab, I would very much like to continue to have an active impact on how scientific software is perceived and further support the careers of RSEs by being elected to another term on the US-RSE Steering Committee.
After spending 5 years as a software and release engineer in industry then coming LBL as a Computer Systems Engineer (CSE), I was struck by the lack of rigor in how scientific software is developed and the difference in status between those on the Scientist career track vs those on CSE track. 20 years on, I now have deep experience and insights on how things can change so that scientific software, and those who develop it can become first-class citizens within the scientific community. I would like to continue to apply that experience in supporting RSEs by serving another term on the US-RSE Steering Committee.
How do you contribute to the US-RSE Association or RSE community more broadly?
I currently serve on the US-RSE Steering Committee participating in discussions and decisions on the direction and management of the organization. Last year I served as one of the Steering Committee election co-chairs overseeing the election of last year’s co-hort of Steering Committee members, currently am one of the International Council Representatives participating in discussions and activities with RSE organizations across the world, and this year I am one of the General Co-Chairs for the upcoming USRSE’26 Conference in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Advocating for RSEs has been a passion of mine long before the RSE term existed. Having long challenged my co-workers on the way scientific software is developed and how those who build and maintain it are not seen as equal partners in the research mission, I am now at a point in my career where I can apply my experiences and take greater risks in supporting RSEs than I have previously been able to. To that end, I now lead a group of RSEs at LBL and a local, albeit informal LBL-RSE effort doing at the single lab-level what the US-RSE does for the RSEs across the country. This year I was able to get LBL to become a founding organizational member of the US-RSE at the premier level for 5 years. Continuing in that supportive spirit, I plan on bringing an experienced perspective to the organization on how we can best support RSE as currently described in our mission statement.
Pengyin Shan
Why do you want to be on the US-RSE Steering Committee?
I joined the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at UIUC as an RSE three years ago and was introduced to US-RSE after years of programming for different university departments. Once I joined, I realized much of my earlier work had actually been RSE work. My teammate and I just didn’t know it, nor did we have peers to learn from. Remembering that sense of isolation, I’m deeply motivated to help others discover the community I wish I’d known earlier. Many talented research software professionals are doing RSE work without realizing it: missing the support, visibility, and sense of belonging that US-RSE offers. Through my volunteer work in the community and US-RSE conferences, I’ve seen our potential to reach even broader groups: researchers, UI/UX designers, project managers, and research facilitators. I’d be honored to join the Steering Committee to help grow this inclusive network and empower more professionals and students to thrive together.
How do you contribute to the US-RSE Association or RSE community more broadly?
I actively contribute to US-RSE through leadership, outreach, and cross-community collaboration. I served as Vice Chair of the Technical Program for USRSE’25 and Tutorial Track Chair for USRSE’24, leading efforts to organize submission tracks, recruit volunteers, prepare calls for participation, review proposals, and deliver impactful conference experiences. I volunteered as a panelist in the USRSE’25 student program to introduce my RSE experience to students, and initiated the internationalization and localization efforts via talks at USRSE’24 and USRSE’25 on advancing multilingual research software practices. Beyond conferences, I streamlined US-RSE’s social media publishing process through the GitHub workflow and am serving as a Co-Chair for the new RSE Track at PEARC26, working with Ian to expand RSE engagement within the broader Research Computing and Data community while maintaining the unique appeal of US-RSE. As a 2025 Trusted CI Fellow supported by the Sustainable Horizons Institute, I am collaborating with a former fellow to develop a tutorial for RSEs on building research software with cybersecurity in mind. For global outreach, I am connecting with the Canadian RSE community and exploring industry partnerships to expand support for RSEs. I will also present a tutorial and lightning talk at iPRES25 in New Zealand in November 2025 to connect with the global digital library community and advance US-RSE’s impact worldwide.
Primus Chimdia Kabuo
Why do you want to be on the US-RSE Steering Committee?
I want to join the US-RSE Steering Committee to help shape how our community presents and positions itself to a broader audience. In a field centered on software and research, I see an opportunity to bring a user-forward, design-aware perspective that complements our technical strengths. I’m passionate about improving how we communicate our values — ensuring that US-RSE’s outreach, branding, and public narrative are clear, compelling, and accessible. Serving on the committee aligns with my long-term commitment to advancing the RSE profession, and it would allow me to contribute strategically to how we set direction, share knowledge, and cultivate an inclusive, forward-looking community.
How do you contribute to the US-RSE Association or RSE community more broadly?
My contributions to the RSE community are grounded in building tools, platforms, and experiences that emphasize usability, accessibility, and impact. I actively promote design thinking and user experience as essential parts of sustainable research software development. By combining technical fluency with communication and visual design skills, I help bridge the gap between functionality and adoption — ensuring that software not only works but resonates with its users.
I contribute to community growth by sharing knowledge on modern development practices, open-source collaboration, and emerging technologies. I also engage in mentoring and collaborative projects that encourage inclusivity and professional development among RSEs.
If elected, I would extend this contribution through the US-RSE Steering Committee by supporting initiatives like the website, events, and working groups — helping present our collective work with greater polish, clarity, and consistency. My goal is to help US-RSE thrive both technically and publicly, strengthening our visibility and influence across research and industry.