Welcome

Hello and welcome to the ConveRSE website!

The aim of the ConveRSE project is to continue the conversation around mental health in the Research Software Community. This site is intended to be a hub for information, resources and blog posts about mental health, aimed at - but not exclusively for - Research Software Engineers (RSEs) and Research Technical Professionals (RTPs).

The ConveRSE site

The plan for this site is to provide a range of information, support and advice, including:

Support

Links to other resources and support networks.

Resources

Tips, advice and resources for looking after yourself, your colleagues and your team.

Survey

The results of Dave Horsfall's Survey into Mental Health in the Research Software Community.

Blog

A blog containing stories and advice on mental health and self-care from members of the community.

We believe that by sharing experiences and resources from a wide and diverse set of contributors, we can support ourselves and each other, and help to improve the mental health and wellbeing of the community. Please visit the Contribute page to find out how you can get involved.

Supporting Mental Health in the Research Software Community

Lots of things can impact our mental health, but RSEs and other technical professionals working in academia face a unique set of challenges. Left unchecked, we are at risk of a range of mental health problems.

"If we want to make research software more sustainable,
we have to help sustain the people writing the software too!"

But with the right support, maybe we can help take the pressure off and find ways to look after ourselves and our colleagues.

Continuing the Conversation

My name is Mike Simpson, and I am a Research Software Engineer at Newcastle University and a 2025 SSI Fellow. I have a long history of mental health issues, and I know how difficult it can be to talk about them, or to ask for help. But I've also learned that it's better to talk about an issue before it becomes a problem.

"It's better to raise a red flag,
before you're forced to wave a white one!"

I applied for an SSI Fellowship to continue the conversation around mental health in our community, because I believe that by sharing our experiences, we can make people feel seen and help support one another.

This site has been developed by Dr Mike Simpson
as part of a Fellowship from the Software Sustainability Institute.