The Daphne Jackson Trust
Dr Katie Perry
Chief Executive, Science Writer, Science
Communicator, Nuclear Physicist, or busy
mum to an adorable but strong willed
twelve year old !!
(and just lately…pop star??!!)
The Daphne Jackson Trust
Work life balance?
What does it mean to many successful
researchers?
Career OR family
Career AND family
Life happens!
And sometimes you lose control of your career
The Daphne Jackson Trust
Who was Daphne Jackson?
• Britain’s first female physics professor
• Lifelong campaigner, encouraging women into SET
• Scientific retraining needed after career break
• Devised Fellowship scheme in 1985
The Daphne Jackson Trust
• Trust set up in 1992 after her death
• Based in the physics Department at the University of Surrey
• Governed by a board of Trustees
• Professor Glynis Breakwell, VC at Bath is Chair of Trustees
• I took over as Chief Executive in 2011
The Daphne Jackson Trust
What does the Trust do?
• Fellowship scheme for STEM Professionals, men and women who have
been on a career break of two years or more
• Need to retrain and rebuild confidence and after Fellowship, back on a
level playing field with others
How does the Trust do it?
• Offer flexible, paid, part-time Fellowships across the complete range of
subjects in STEM, based in universities and research establishments
• Challenging research project and tailored retraining
programme of at least 100hrs per year
• 230 Fellowships awarded to date
• Current scheme has been predominantly academic
The Daphne Jackson Trust
Changes in 2011-2012
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New Chief Executive
New Trustees
New Board Structure
Changes to the application process:
More efficient, deadlines introduced, competitive
Staffing changes to make the small team we have more effective
Rebranding
Development of a new training course aimed at those who have had or
are considering a career break
Increased engagement with stakeholders, eg universities, learned
societies, industry, charities
Increased number of sponsored fellowships
The Daphne Jackson Trust
Success Rate
• The Trust has a success rate of 96% in returning Fellows to STEM careers
• 72% return to research in academia or industry
• 15% return to SET based academic administration or management
• 10% move into teaching, HE or schools
Why so good?
• The Trust’s application process is unique
• Fellows receive support, mentoring, advice and guidance on a
• one to one basis from their Fellowship Advisor
• Excellent future planning
• Four training courses during fellowship and fellows networks
The Daphne Jackson Trust
Hosts and Sponsors
• Universities and industrial research laboratories can be host institutions
• 40- 45% of Fellowships are sponsored by the Research Councils
• Research Councils, Universities, Charities and Industry sponsor Fellowships
Huddersfield, Oxford Brookes, Edinburgh Napier, Northumbria, Northampton
Requirements for Fellows
• Career break of two years or more
• First degree in a STEM discipine
• Three years in a STEM research career or PhD
• Motivation to return to a SET career
• Resident in the UK with a desire to stay in the UK after
Fellowship
The Daphne Jackson Trust
Fellowships and Sponsored Fellowships
Fellowship – traditional route, applicant finds host organisation and
Supervisor, develops proposal, interviewed, peer reviewed, then
awards committee. The Trust matches the fellow with a suitable sponsor.
Has worked very well but has some drawbacks.
Sponsored Fellowship – the sponsorship arrangement is agreed with an
organisation that is keen to be involved with the Daphne Jackson Trust.
Then the opportunity is advertised and the sponsor has input to the
selection of the most appropriate applicant. The rest of the process then
proceeds in the same way ie interview, peer review, awards committee.
Cost
A typical fellowship will cost £55k over a two year period.
Joint sponsorship arrangements are possible.
The Daphne Jackson Trust
What do we want?
Apart from an extra day in the week
and a lottery win…!
• More sponsored fellowships
• Engagement with every university in the UK
• Raise the profile of the Trust to enable more SET
professionals to plan a career break
2012 is a very exciting time for the
Trust with opportunities for development
The Daphne Jackson Trust
Contact the Daphne Jackson Trust…
Dr Katie Perry on 01483 689166
Katie.perry@surrey.ac.uk
www.daphnejackson.org