Struggling to Connect: A Researchers' Reflection on Networking in Software Engineering

TL;DR

This paper investigates how systemic inequities limit researchers’ ability to network in software engineering, shaping visibility and career opportunities. Using reflective autoethnography augmented by a review of related literature, it identifies five intersecting dimensions—Geography/Location, Immigration/Mobility, Language, Gender/Social Identity, and Neurodiversity—that influence networking. It outlines actionable directions for action: make networking structures visible, design inclusive interaction formats, value diverse participation, and encourage empirical studies, all via a community-driven expert voice project. The proposed approach reframes networking as an infrastructural concern rather than a personal deficiency, with potential to improve equity, collaboration, and knowledge production across the SE ecosystem.

Abstract

Networking is central to the growth and visibility of software engineering research and researchers. However, opportunities and capacities to build such networks are not easily identified and often are unevenly distributed. While networking is often viewed as an individual skill, a researchers workplace, culture and environment significantly influence their motivation and, consequently, the networks they form. This paper explores how factors such as country of residence, immigration status, language, gender, and surrounding context affect researchers' ability to establish professional connections and succeed within the global research ecosystem. Drawing on existing literature and personal experience, this reflective report examines the often-invisible barriers to networking and advocates for a community-driven "expert voice" initiative to acknowledge and address these inequities.