Austen Rainer

Austen Rainer is a Professor in the School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Queen's University Belfast. His research focuses on Research Software Engineering, Software Engineering Research, Story Thinking and Computational Thinking, and Case Study Methodology. He is actively involved in educational initiatives, including the delivery of online software development modules and promoting ethical practices in technology development. Rainer collaborates on projects such as the 'Mood Movement' initiative exploring mental health technologies and contributes to interdisciplinary discussions on the intersection of storytelling and computational models.

His work emphasizes challenges in software engineering for scientific applications, cultural dynamics between software engineers and scientists, and improving research methodologies through rigorous case study reporting. Recent projects include analyzing ethical hazards in assistive robotics and evaluating the reproducibility of systematic literature reviews. Rainer also advocates for responsible innovation through initiatives like the 'Back to the Fortran Future' award and teaching workshops on agile methodologies.

Rainer's contributions span over 50 publications, with a focus on software quality, education, and ethical considerations. His awards include the 2024 Agility+ Prize and the 2022 Innovation in Teaching Fund. He mentors doctoral students and participates in global research collaborations, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary approaches and evidence-based practices in software engineering.