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Lewis Sampson, United Kingdom Research and Innovation, STFC, DAFNI, lewis.sampson@stfc.ac.uk

Kubernetes, CAKE and Community: A Year of Learning, Connecting and Looking Ahead

Introduction

Over the past year, I have had the opportunity to take part in the CAKE Fellowship. It has been a genuinely enjoyable and rewarding experience, giving me the chance to meet new people, explore different areas of research infrastructure, develop new skills, and reflect on my own professional journey.

As the fellowship draws to a close, I wanted to take a little time to reflect on the experiences that have stood out to me, the things I have learned along the way, and, importantly, what I would like to carry forward into the next chapter.

1. Experiences, Highlights and Lessons Learned

There have been three experiences throughout the fellowship that particularly stand out to me. Each offered something quite different, highlighting the value of getting involved in different parts of the research infrastructure community.

Kubernetes Community Days – Gaining Industry Insight

Kubernetes Community Days was one of the highlights of my year. It was a great opportunity to step outside the research infrastructure bubble and get a better understanding of how Kubernetes is being used across the wider industry.

Seeing different experiences, hearing about large-scale real-world deployments, and understanding some of the challenges bigger organisations are tackling gave me plenty to think about.

I particularly enjoyed gaining insight into how the wider Kubernetes ecosystem is evolving and trying to work out what that might mean for the way we approach infrastructure in research.

One of my biggest takeaways has been the value of looking beyond your immediate domain. Although I work in research infrastructure, there are so many technical skills and challenges shared across different industries. By reaching outside my usual circle, I can discover new approaches to familiar problems while also bringing my own experience into the conversation.

Durham HPC Days – Technical Challenges and New Learning Opportunities

Durham HPC Days was another standout experience, particularly because of the technical challenge and the opportunity to take part in a new workshop. The details of this workshop are within another blog post here.

I always enjoy opportunities to get hands-on with new technologies and approaches, and this event gave me exactly that opportunity in a different setting.

It was also a valuable chance to engage with the HPC community, explore technical topics, and think about how different approaches to research computing, and Raspberry Pi’s in general, can complement the infrastructure I am used to working with.

RSE Regional Meetup – Building Local Connections

The RSE Regional Meetup offered something a little different from the larger conferences and workshops.

Having more time to network with a smaller, local community was particularly valuable. It created a more relaxed environment for conversations, sharing experiences and getting to know people working on similar challenges.

Sometimes the most useful part of an event is not necessarily the presentations, but the conversations you have around them. This meetup was a good reminder of the importance of maintaining local connections and having a community of people you can learn from and share ideas with.

Knowledge Exchange – Learning to Share Knowledge Effectively

A key reason I applied for the CAKE Fellowship was to develop my understanding of knowledge exchange and how to effectively organise workshops that meet the needs of the community.

This has been one of the most valuable parts of the fellowship. I’ve developed a much better appreciation of the time, effort and planning that goes into delivering effective knowledge exchange.

There are three particular lessons that I will take forward into future workshops and community activities:

  • Good knowledge exchange takes time: More planning, preparation and consideration are needed than you might initially expect.
  • Feedback is essential: Recording feedback, reviews and attendee experiences is key to refining materials and improving future workshops.
  • Be prepared to learn yourself: While you’re trying to support and share knowledge with the community, don’t be surprised if the community ends up teaching you just as much.

The Value of Being There – In-person vs Remote

One personal lesson I learned throughout the fellowship was just how much I value attending events in person.

Due to other commitments, I could only attend RSECon26 remotely. I found it considerably harder to get properly involved in the workshop we were running. I could only offer limited support to attendees and found it much harder to build meaningful connections with other participants.

I appreciate that remote attendance is, for many people, the most practical or accessible way to participate. However, this experience reinforced how much I personally value being there in person. The informal conversations, networking and ability to engage directly with attendees are a significant part of what makes these events worthwhile.

A Thank You

Throughout the fellowship, I’ve had support from the entire CAKE committee, and I’m incredibly grateful for that. In particular, I’d like to thank Marion Weinzierl for her advice and continuous assistance over the past year. Having that support has made a real difference to my experience.

2. The Year at a Glance

A quick look back at some of the events and activities that made up my fellowship year:

When Event
February STFC Kubernetes Workshop
June Durham HPC Days
September RSE Regional Meetup
September RSECon26 – Online Kubernetes Workshop
October Kubernetes Community Days

3. Looking Ahead

Although the fellowship is drawing to a close, there are still plenty of opportunities on the horizon, and I’m looking forward to continuing to build on what I’ve learned.

Upcoming Events

  • November – ACIT Hub Co-design Day: I’m looking forward to connecting with research infrastructure engineers at the University of Bristol and sharing experiences with the wider community.
  • December – Computing Insight UK (CIUK): Another opportunity to engage with the HPC community, discover new developments and continue building connections.

Winter/Spring 2027 – What’s Next for the Cloud Native SIG?

The Cloud Native SIG and CAKE Fellowship have been closely linked throughout the year. Although the fellowship officially ends in January 2027, the SIG will continue supporting research infrastructure engineers working with Kubernetes.

We’re already planning a number of activities for the coming months, including:

  • Some blog posts sharing experiences, technical knowledge and lessons learned.
  • A curated, community-driven list of useful resources.
  • Further workshops, including opportunities to co-locate with other community events.

If you’re interested in getting involved, check out the Cloud Native SIG website, join our mailing list and follow us on social media and Git to keep up to date.

And if you’re keen to get more involved than simply being a member, please get in touch directly. We’re always looking to grow the committee and welcome new contributors!

What I’ll Personally Continue Doing

Beyond the planned SIG activities, there are a few things I want to continue making time for:

  • Maintaining the connections I’ve made throughout the fellowship.
  • Attending Kubernetes, HPC and RSE community events.
  • Sharing knowledge and experiences with colleagues.
  • Continuing to develop my own professional and personal skills.
  • Finding opportunities to contribute to the wider community.

4. Final Reflections

The CAKE Fellowship has been a valuable opportunity to develop professionally, meet new people, and engage with communities beyond my usual working environment.

It has reinforced the value of getting involved, sharing experiences, and learning from others. More importantly, it has given me the confidence and motivation to continue exploring opportunities outside my immediate role.

While the formal fellowship may be coming to an end, I do not see this as the end of the journey. There are still events to attend, people to stay in touch with, and plenty more to learn.

I am very grateful to everyone involved in making the fellowship possible, and to everyone I have met along the way.

Here’s to keeping the connections going and seeing what comes next!