Sustain

Guest

Alan Rubin

Panelist

Richard Littauer

Show Notes

On this episode of Sustain, Richard Littauer sits down with computational biologist Alan Rubin to explore how open source software supports scientific research, clinical genetics, and cancer-related data infrastructure. Their conversation centers on MaveDB, a project that began as a way to organize hard-to-find variant data from research papers and has since evolved into a valuable resource for both scientists and clinicians. Along the way, they discuss infrastructure funding, research software sustainability, and why open source communities and academic researchers have a lot to learn from each other. Press download now to hear more!

[00:01:24] Alan explains his role leading a research group focused on genomics, cancer medicine, and improving patient care through genetics.

[00:02:46] We learn more about what MaveDB does.

[00:06:52] Alan details why a database was needed.

[00:08:26] Alan shares how the project grew out of collaboration, PyCon AU inspiration, Django, and Python tooling that let a small team build a practical research database.

[00:11:54] There’s a discussion on the infrastructure funding problem and Alan explains a major theme is how hard it is to fund scientific infrastructure, since most grants favor new discoveries rather than maintaining shared tools and databases.

[00:17:55] The project took a major turn when clinical geneticists began using the data to interpret patient variants, pushing the team to rethink the interface and user needs.

[00:21:13] Alan describes the new clinical-facing interface, Mave for Medicine (MaveMD), designed to help doctors evaluate specific variants for diagnosis and treatment decisions.

[00:22:02] Alan talks about managing the project through a distributed team, shared responsibilities, and a role that now centers more on direction, priorities, and community than day-to-day coding.

[00:23:36] They discuss why research software rarely attracts hobbyist contributors, even when the mission is compelling, and how scientific projects often function more like small product teams.

[00:27:44] Alan makes the case that scientists often learn more about improving their software craft at events like PyCon than at discipline-specific conferences.

[00:30:38] Alan highlights how academic software depends heavily on mature, well-documented open source tools and encourages more connection between technical communities and scientific work.

[00:34:15] Find out where you can learn more about MaveDB and Alan’s work.

Quotes

[00:10:04] “We quite literally followed the Django Girls tutorial, but instead of a building a blog, we built a database for research scientists.”

[00:12:35] “Infrastructure is something everybody wants to have it exist and nobody wants to pay for.”

[00:26:08] “I have never been successful in engaging the broader open source community, despite having tried many times to contribute to this or any other scientific project.”

[00:31:01] “I think people who work in OSS should be excited about the kind of stuff that their work is enabling, even if they don’t really hear about it.”

Spotlight

[00:35:44] Richard’s spotlight is the book, News of the Dead.

[00:36:22] Alan’s spotlight is The Global Alliance for Genomics & Health (GA4GH) and all the good work they’re doing.

Links

SustainOSS

[email protected]

[email protected]

SustainOSS Discourse

SustainOSS Mastodon

SustainOSS Bluesky

SustainOSS LinkedIn

Open Collective-SustainOSS (Contribute)

Richard Littauer Socials

Alan Rubin LinkedIn

Dr. Alan Rubin Website (The University of Melbourne)

PyCon AU 2026, Brisbane, August 26-30

Sustain Podcast- Episode 286: Jack Skinner of PyCon AU and Regional Confs

Sustain Podcast- Episode 176: Maintainer Month with Russell Keith-Magee & Uriel Ofir

Django Girls

PyCon AU 2023-“Building a biological database with Python”- Alan Rubin (YouTube)

Sustain Podcast- Episode 135: Tracy Hinds on Node.js’s CommComm and PMs in Open Source

Sustain Podcast-Episode 190: Karen Sandler on Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC)

Original database paper (Pub Med)

Database update paper (Pub Med)

Preprint on the clinician-oriented interface

Variant scoring tools for deep mutational scanning (Pub Med)

Atlas of Variant Effects

MaveDB

News of the Dead

Global Alliance for Geonomics & Health (GA4GH)

Sponsor

CURIOSS

Credits

Produced by Richard Littauer

Edited by Paul M. Bahr at Peachtree Sound

Show notes by DeAnn Bahr Peachtree Sound

Special Guest: Alan Rubin.

Guest

Jack Skinner

Panelist

Richard Littauer

Show Notes

In this episode of Sustain, host Richard Littauer talks with Jack Skinner, PyCon AU organizer and freelance consultant/fractional CTO, to explore why regional conferences matter so much to the long-term health of open source communities. Their conversation looks at how events like PyCon AU do far more than host talks, they create local connections, nurture future leaders, support first-time speakers, and help sustain the broader Python ecosystem in ways that global conferences alone cannot. Drawing on Jack’s experience as a conference organizer and community builder, the episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges of running volunteer-led events, from sponsorships and logistics to burnout, accessibility, and building a stronger pipeline of future organizers. Press download now to hear more!

[00:01:49] Jack shares his background and how he got involved in Python and event organizing.

[00:02:48] We hear about Jack’s first PyCon AU experience.

[00:04:14] Jack describes PyCon AU, who it serves, and how it’s changed after COVID.

[00:07:01] Why do regional conferences exist alongside PyCon US?

[00:09:24] Jack talks about what makes Australia and New Zealand different as conference communities.

[00:10:55] PyCon AU’s attendance goals are discussed as Jack mentions his big goal is to bring attendance back to roughly 500-600 people, restoring pre-pandemic strength.

[00:12:04] The discussion turns to conference structure: tracks, workshops, and sponsor interest, with Jack emphasizing sponsorship is not just about money.

[00:14:54] Richard asks how organizers know whether conferences help people learn, connect, or build community. Jack explains how they’re measuring community impact beyond “good vibes” and rebuilding local Python communities.

[00:17:34] Jack explains PyCon AU is trying to build a future organizer pipeline by letting people observe how conference planning works and introduces his proposed program/project, “shadow team.”

[00:19:09] Another project Jack is working on is documenting the behind-the-scenes work of organizing the conference through long-form writing.

[00:20:38] Jack admits he feels imposter syndrome because he’s not paid to write Python, his contribution is centered on the sociotechnical side.

[00:23:20] PyCon AU’s independence from government and institutions is discussed, and how the conference community is globally aware, even if locally focused.

[00:27:05] Call for proposals details, deadline is March 29, and the in-person focus for this year’s event are mentioned. Richard discusses the return of the academic track and Jack details more info on poster sessions and workshop submissions.

[00:32:08] Volunteering and buying tickets are explained and why you should buy tickets early if you can.

Quotes

[00:32:20] “Volunteering is an awesome way to be involved in PyCon.”

Spotlight

[00:35:16] Richard’s spotlight is two of his lecturers at the University of Edinburgh, Simon Kirby and Andrew Smith, who introduced him to Python.

[00:35:55] Jack’s spotlight is two companion projects: pretalx and pretix.

Links

SustainOSS

[email protected]

[email protected]

SustainOSS Discourse

SustainOSS Mastodon

SustainOSS Bluesky

SustainOSS LinkedIn

Open Collective-SustainOSS (Contribute)

Richard Littauer Socials

Jack Skinner LinkedIn

Jack Skinner Website

PyCon AU, August 26-30, 2026, Brisbane

PyCon AU News & Updates

Sustain Podcast-Episode 75: Deb Nicholson on the OSI, the future of open source, and SeaGL

Sustain Podcast-Episode 137: A How-to Guide for Contributing to Open Source as an Employee, for Corporations (featuring Deb Nicholson as Host)

Guido van Rossum

Whale song shows language-like statistical structure Simon Kirby (co-lead author)

pretalx (GitHub)

pretix (GitHub)

Sponsor

CURIOSS

Credits

Produced by Richard Littauer

Edited by Paul M. Bahr at Peachtree Sound

Show notes by DeAnn Bahr Peachtree Sound

Special Guest: Jack Skinner.

Guest

Miranda Heath

Panelist

Richard Littauer

Show Notes

In this episode of Sustain, host Richard Littauer is joined by PhD student Miranda Heath to discuss her research on altruism and maintainer burnout in open source, and specifically her report on burn out in open source maintainers. Miranda shares insights from her study on what motivates people to act altruistically and how these behaviors manifest in open source communities. She delves into the common issues maintainers face, such as changing motivations and the systemic challenges that contribute to burnout. Drawing on examples from her research, including kidney donors and open source maintainers, Miranda explores how community support, mentorship, and better funding can help mitigate burnout. The conversation also touches on the unique challenges neurodiverse maintainers face and the importance of creating supportive environments for them. Press download now to hear more!

[00:00:44] Richard introduces Miranda Heath, whom he met at FOSDEM, and she’s built a major report on maintainer burnout.

[00:02:04] Miranda studies what motivates people to benefit others, how “altruism” is often framed too narrowly, and she points out neglected forms.

[00:03:40] Richard asks about a name for the type of altruism, and they land on “collective altruism” as a useful label for shared/commons based giving.

[00:04:25] Miranda explains her work on anonymous kidney donors and the key insight from the kidney donors is that altruism can be mundane.

[00:06:45] Looking at the motivations of open source developers, Miranda sees overlap between altruistic impulses and open source and contrasts this with academia’s paywall-driven publication system.

[00:08:36] They discuss how motivation changes which leads to burnout risk, and Richard brings up Miranda’s maintainer burnout report and what it was based on.

[00:10:13] Miranda describes how this report started and what she wanted to change.

[00:13:21] What are some systematic solutions for burnout? Miranda argues “money vs people” is a false dichotomy: respecting maintainers includes making it possible to live. Burnout is worsened by “double shift” dynamics and “Labor of love is still labor.”

[00:16:18] Richard notes many maintainers are paid through employers, Miranda talks about paid maintainer roles still carry burnout risk, and some research done by Robert Karasek in the late 70’s.

[00:20:14] Miranda draws from social psychology: communities run on group norms (often unspoken), and emphasizes we need to make beneficiaries feel part of the in-group, so they adopt norms.

[00:22:36] Richard highlights the Open Source Pledge and policy approaches like the Cyber Resilience Act, and Miranda notes policy could reduce autonomy and increase burnout if rigid.

[00:26:22] What happens after burnout? Miranda believes we should prevent unwanted exits, normalize “sunsetting” conversations, and have a plan to wind down a project.

[00:31:17] There’s a discussion on how burnout shouldn’t equal personal failure, and an example is brought up with the Tailwind CSS tensions.

[00:35:19] Miranda stresses the importance of mentorship for community roles to be filled, Richard cites Abby Cabunoc’s “3 C’s” for mentor-worthy contributors, and Miranda mentions the concept of “Mentorship Triangle.”

[00:38:03] Find out where you can follow Miranda and her work online.

[00:38:27] We wrap with Miranda sharing there’s an important gap with neurodivergence and autistic burnout and how more research needs to be done.

Quotes

[00:15:13] “Maintenance work is work, but a labor of love is labor.”

Spotlight

[00:40:47] Richard's spotlight is the klezmer band, OCH VEY.

[00:41:33] Miranda’s spotlight is the puzzle game, TR-49.

Links

SustainOSS

[email protected]

[email protected]

SustainOSS Discourse

SustainOSS Mastodon

SustainOSS Bluesky

SustainOSS LinkedIn

Open Collective-SustainOSS (Contribute)

Richard Littauer Socials

Miranda Heath Website

Sentry

Open Source Pledge

Job Demands, Job Decision Latitude, and Mental Strain: Implications for Job Redesign by Robert Karasek, Jr. (Sage Publications)

Cyber Resilience Act

Abby Cabunoc Mayes-The Synthetic Senior: Rethinking Free Software Mentorship in the AI Era (FOSDEM 2026 talk video)

OCH VEY Instagram

TR-49

Credits

Produced by Richard Littauer

Edited by Paul M. Bahr at Peachtree Sound

Show notes by DeAnn Bahr Peachtree Sound

Special Guest: Miranda Heath.

Guest

Trent Van Epps

Panelists

Eriol Fox | Victory Brown

Show Notes

In this episode of Sustain, host Eriol Fox and co-host Victory Brown are at the Devconnect Conference in Buenos Aires with Trent Van Epps, an organizer of Protocol Guild and member of the Ethereum Foundation. They discuss the vital role of Protocol Guild in funding core protocol developers, addressing systemic issues of under-compensation in open-source projects. Trent also explores the similarities and differences between funding in the open-source community and the Ethereum ecosystem, emphasizing the importance of collective representation and the unique financial structures of blockchain technology. The conversation highlights the necessity of diversity and inclusion within the Ethereum community and shares insights on the impact of adverse regulatory pressures and funding challenges. Press download now!

[00:00:29] Trent explains Protocol Guild and he connects Guild work to his EF role coordinating network upgrades and ensuring stable funding and continuity.

[00:02:35] Trent tells us why core contributors are under compensated and notes there’s a “hot ball of money” problem.

[00:05:21] Eriol and Trent discuss discomfort around money in open source. the myth of pure altruism, and the reality that “you can’t eat your code.”

[00:06:28] What can open source learn from Ethereum? Trent points to classic charitable giving practices and highlights Ethereum’s difference and stresses that funding can be used as a political lever.

[00:11:07] Trent contrasts different contributor needs and points out diversity/heterogeneity as essential to Ethereum’s robustness and security.

[00:15:40] Trent describes tight social bonds in Ethereum formed by “youth of the ecosystem” and shared regulatory pressures, which push the community to cooperate defensively, and he talks about how Protocol Guild operates like a loose union/syndicate.

[00:20:03] He outlines their funding vehicle called the 1% Pledge.

[00:22:07] Trent acknowledges high-profile scams and speculative excess get media attention, overshadowing serious work, like the technological waves with railroads. He points to Argentina, Kenya, and other places with weak institutions.

[00:24:59] Eriol closes the discussion with a call to widen your bubble.

[00:26:08] Trent’s project spotlight is ZKP2P and a great book by Benjamin Birkinbine. Also, he shares where you can find him on the internet.

Links

[email protected]

[email protected]

SustainOSS Discourse

SustainOSS Mastodon

SustainOSS Bluesky

SustainOSS LinkedIn

Open Collective-SustainOSS (Contribute)

Richard Littauer Socials

Eriol Fox X

Victory Brown X

Trent Van Epps X

Devconnect- 2025, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 17-22 November

Ethereum

Ethereum Foundation

Protocol Guild

ZKP2P

Incorporating the Digital Commons: Corporate Involvement in Free and Open Source Software by Benjamin J. Birkinbine

Credits

Produced by Richard Littauer

Edited by Paul M. Bahr at Peachtree Sound

Show notes by DeAnn Bahr Peachtree Sound

Logistical support by Tina Arboleda from Digital Savvies

Special Guest: Trent Van Epps.

Guest

Nuno Loureiro

Panelists

Eriol Fox | Victory Brown

Show Notes

In this episode of Sustain, host Eriol Fox and co-host Victory Brown are live with Nuno Loureiro, Lead Designer at the Ethereum Foundation, at Devconnect Conference in Buenos Aires. Nuno shares his journey in digital design and discusses his role in focusing on ethereum.org. He highlights the challenges of designing for open source platforms, including the difficulty of onboarding and collaborating with designers. He also touches on UX challenges in the context of blockchain technology, emphasizing the importance of trust and design for mass adoption of open source tools. The discussion further explores how the Ethereum Foundation engages with the community for design feedback and the decentralized nature of project narratives. The episode concludes with Nuno spotlighting Penpot, a tool he believes is changing the landscape design. Hit download now to hear more!

[00:00:34] Nuno shares his background in digital and product design and joining Ethereum Foundation to focus on Ethereum.org as a learning portal.

[00:02:13] He shares the biggest design challenges at the Ethereum Foundation starting out with a major challenge which was opening a design system to open source collaboration.

[00:04:08] Eriol asks how good design and usability relate to sustainable open source. Nuno argues UX is the main blocker for mass adoption of open source tools and uses tools like GIMP as an example.

[00:05:00] Victory asks how Nuno brings more designers into the ecosystem and elevates design conversations. He admits he’s “not doing enough” and notes how hard it is to balance paid work with open source contributions and critiques designers, including himself, as poor collaborators compared with developers.

[00:06:27] Eriol reflects on how both coders and designers get deeply attached to their work, and notes that vulnerability and openness to critique are hard but necessary for sustainability of open source to grow.

[00:07:54] Eriol brings up Vitalik’s talk, Founder of Ethereum, at Funding the Commons, where he emphasized reliability as critical to UX and poses a question to Nuno. He explains what Ethereum Foundation’s current “three mantras” are.

[00:11:49] A question is brought up about how design decisions for new features are made inside Ethereum and what others can learn. Nuno clarifies the Ethereum Foundation does not own the protocol or roadmap and is a community based approach.

[00:13:26] Victory asks how Ethereum gathers UX feedback from users. Nuno says they rely heavily on third party projects that do their own UX research.

[00:14:43] Nuno spotlights Penpot, an open source design tool he uses and believes is changing the design landscape.

Links

[email protected]

[email protected]

SustainOSS Discourse

SustainOSS Mastodon

SustainOSS Bluesky

SustainOSS LinkedIn

Open Collective-SustainOSS (Contribute)

Richard Littauer Socials

Eriol Fox X

Victory Brown X

Nuno Loureiro X

Nuno Loureiro Website

Ethereum Foundation

Ethereum

Devconnect- 2025, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 17-22 November

Funding the Commons

Penpot

Credits

Produced by Richard Littauer

Edited by Paul M. Bahr at Peachtree Sound

Show notes by DeAnn Bahr Peachtree Sound

Logistical support by Tina Arboleda from Digital Savvies

Special Guest: Nuno Loureiro.