This is a difficult situation. Is it easier to train the domain experts to be competent programmers or train the competent programmers to be domain experts? In a research environment, I worry there's little time or interest in developing specs that can change in an instant or can't be written until the physics is understood.
We find it quite difficult trying to get programming out of people who don't know why Carbon has 4 bonds while Nitrogen has 3, for example.
My feeling is that a one-semester required course for students in "software carpentry" [1] (as developed by Greg Wilson and discussed in the article) would cure many of the most serious ills in scientific software development. Students can't know they should be using version control, debuggers, and testing if they don't even know such things exist.
We find it quite difficult trying to get programming out of people who don't know why Carbon has 4 bonds while Nitrogen has 3, for example.