Exploring sprint opportunities with natESM
natESM maintains an open call for proposals, enabling model-development groups across Germany to become part of our Earth-system research community.
Our sprints, focused on technical objectives and tethered to natESM resources, provide a flexible program tailored to your research goals and timelines. This collaborative journey spans up to six months, fostering in-depth partnerships between you and our Research Software Engineers (RSEs).
The sprint process: from sprint check to report
The sprint process within natESM encompasses several stages, ensuring that each sprint effectively contributes to our Earth system modeling objectives. Here is an overview of the sprint journey that you can initiate at any time. Prospective applicants are required to undergo a sprint check, serving as an accessible entry point for guidance before submitting a full sprint application.
This essential, low-threshold step is designed to assist you in initiating your sprint journey promptly and establish a connection with the RSEs who will guide you throughout the process.
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If you are contemplating a sprint, send a brief description of the challenge you intend to address, along with access to the code for our RSEs and details about your experimental setup.
If the software is suitable for improvement within a sprint, the RSEs will provide precise advice on what should be included in a full proposal and how it should be structured before submission.
In cases where a sprint is not currently feasible due to outdated code, the RSEs will provide you with detailed information on how to improve the code. Once you have incorporated the RSEs' suggestions, you can contact us again at any time with a sprint-check request.
The timeframe for completing a sprint check ranges from as short as two weeks to a maximum of two months.
Please note: A successful sprint check with a recommendation to submit a full proposal does not imply that the proposal will be accepted!
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Researchers submit a comprehensive sprint application (.docx), considering advice from the sprint check, detailing proposed goals, scope, and expected outcomes to c3VwcG9ydC1yZXF1ZXN0QG5hdC1lc20uZGU=.
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The RSEs, the coordinator, and steering-group members conduct a thorough review of full sprint applications over approximately six weeks.
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Applicants are notified of the outcome by email. If accepted, a KickOff meeting is set up to initiate collaboration.
If rejected or send back for revision, you get hints what to improve.
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The official start of the sprint, where the appointed RSE is introduced. This meeting establishes initial goals,
communication frameworks, and team dynamics.
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For sprints with a duration of 6 months, about two months into the sprint, a status meeting is held to assess
progress and address any challenges. This check ensures that the sprint stays on track and aligns with its goals.
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After the sprint, applicants collaborate with RSEs to prepare a detailed report, highlighting achievements, outcomes,
and lessons learned. Published on the natESM website within three months, the report provides valuable insights
for the natESM community.
A follow-up evaluation, conducted one year after each sprint, will assess the impact and document results, informing future funding opportunities and process improvements.
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