Building Open Leadership Toolsets (BOLT)

BOLT is an intensive workshop designed to equip participants with the essential skills and knowledge needed to lead open source software projects, particularly in research contexts. This comprehensive training program addresses the unique challenges of working with clients, managing a local development teams, fostering inclusive open source communities, and balancing technical excellence with sustainable project governance. Participants learn practical strategies for code review, community building, conflict resolution, and project roadmap development, while gaining hands-on experience with the tools and workflows that successful open source maintainers use daily.

The BOLT workshop is strategically offered every summer and winter immediately before the start of classes, ensuring that new graduate student Tech Leads are fully prepared to guide their teams from day one. This timing allows participants to immediately apply their learning in real project contexts, reinforcing workshop concepts through practical experience. Each Tech Lead is matched with a project for the coming semester and becomes a core maintainer for the codebase. Participants engage in planning exercises and develop resources to help them navigate everything from establishing contributor guidelines and managing pull requests to facilitating productive teamwork and handling the interpersonal dynamics that determine project success.

By combining leadership theory with open source best practices, BOLT creates confident, capable project leaders who can effectively bridge technical and human aspects of software development. Graduates of the workshop consistently demonstrate stronger team management skills, more inclusive project cultures, and greater success in building sustainable open source communities around their research software projects.

Participation

Required for Tech Leads

Individuals selected as Tech Leads for the Opening Skills and Solutions program must participate in the BOLT workshop. Tech Leads receive a small stipend for their participation in the workshop, recognizing the essential preparation this training provides for their leadership responsibilities.

Open Applications

Individuals interested in participating in BOLT may apply for available spots beyond those reserved for Tech Leads. Participation is not guaranteed and requires a short application and a small registration fee. This ensures participants are committed to engaging fully with the intensive workshop experience.

Custom Workshops

Research labs or other groups interested in BOLT training should contact us to discuss custom workshop arrangements tailored to your specific needs and context.