# Notes for Code for Thought episode recording on Monday 16.12

## Notes from preparation meeting

- quick self intro (all)

- short introduction of what Code Refinery is (Samantha)
- we focus on helping researchers and software engineers improve how they develop and maintain software for research
- we teach "level 1 RSE training" - FAIR research software development
- topics: tools required but typically skipped in academic curriculum (git, github, testing, documentation, reusability, FAIR)
- we teach to all levels, all domains: students, researchers, professors, RSE-to-be
- we do that via workshops (large online and in-person)
- **training cooperative** (community)
- Nordic-based but slowly expanding, all welcome
- keeping in contact, sharing training work by collaborating
- new people and organizations welcome (try to keep low barrier)
- significant overlap with Nordic-RSE
- CR: not a legal entity, but a long running project: currently funded by NeIC
- small, flexible and rather informal -> it's still easy to change/update things

- history
- what was the reason to create Code Refinery/initial aims (Radovan)
- NeIC took it from Sweden to Nordics and funded this 2016-2025
- what's the connection of CodeRefinery with the HPC community/Carpentries (Radovan)
- many HPC people/organizations involved, common training
- Carpentries was different back then (novice) and also CR learner persona was different
- we took inspiration from Carpentries format and lesson template (but both have evolved since)
- advertising and outreach likely to reach HPC users
- we also want to improve the way we teach HPC
- how has it evolved (Richard)
- Started as one workshop where designated people would give it ("teaching service"). Now all the teachers/hosts are friends and work together much more ("teaching co-op").
- how did Covid change the way CodeRefinery ran (Richard)
- embracing online
- Larger: less workshops total, larger, more effort for breakouts/mentoring, more people reached, more beginners
- Developed mass-scale livestream teaching.

- how is the Code Refinery run (a more detailed discussion on what is it)
- format: before/after Covid (Richard?)
- who is your target audience now - has that changed after Covid? (Radovan)
- more beginner-friendly and more usable, trying to meet the researchers where they are (command line)
- get to know the audience and try to adapt the material to audience
- are there any CodeRefinery spinoffs - and how does that work? (Samantha)
- beginning: all CR workshops in-person; there were few CR workshops organized by others
- now:
- partners and also others are recycling materials for other own events
- use CR workshops as sandbox to find community needs: now building own program based on experiences from CR

- Funding
- how did it get funded and how is it funded now (Radovan)
- initially "external" funding by NeIC, co-funded by national HPC centers
- last 3 years and this is the model we will try to continue: mostly in-kind, meaning: organizations allow interested persons to contribute 1-2 days/week to the project
- we will seek external funding
- how would you like it to be in future (Richard)
- RB suggests that RD answers since Aalto was the first organization which ...
- get organizations excited so that people can contribute as part of their day job
- Benefit for organization:
- awesome workshop/teaching for "end-users" from a collective
- training for staff ("copilot seat")
- how can others be part of it in future (Samantha)
- sending participants our way, local breakout rooms
- co-teaching
- helping with the organization even outside of teaching it
- ongoing process

## Notes on the different points

### CodeRefinery-spinoffs
- Bring your own classroom
- NL eScience Center example (trainers came to support, hosted a classroom, then made it their own course, based on materials)
- ...?

### How can others be part
- Ambassador
- share the word
- give feedback
- community of practice
- Observer or Train the trainer
- learn with us
- Community lives in our Zulip chat
- news
- Q&A
- planning
- Nordic-RSE
-