Fotis Psomopoulos

This episode of Inside EOSC features Fotis Psomopoulos, Coordinator of the EVERSE project and Senior Researcher at the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH). The discussion traces Fotis’s journey from electrical engineering into the life sciences, and his evolving understanding of research infrastructures, from an early focus on physical hardware to a realisation that infrastructures are fundamentally about communities and standardised services.We explore the often-overlooked role of software in the research ecosystem. Fotis explains why software has historically been treated as a 'second-class citizen' compared to data, and outlines EVERSE’s mission to elevate it through defined indicators of excellence and quality toolkits. He unpacks the distinction between Open Source and FAIR principles, and details the 'three-tier' hierarchy of research software, ranging from personal analysis scripts to critical community infrastructure. The conversation touches on the impact of AI on coding practices, where Fotis characterises AI as a collaborative partner rather than a replacement for human expertise. He also reflects on the importance of global collaboration, citing examples from African research contexts that offer valuable lessons for Europe regarding efficiency and software maintenance. The episode concludes with a look at the cultural shifts required to recognise software as a primary research output, and the inherent interdisciplinarity of 'writing with code'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.