PRESS RELEASE
Embargoed until Thursday 15 October 00:01 GMT
Survey report shows ‘life’ isn’t a barrier to a successful research career
Leading the way for Returners, a survey of former Daphne Jackson Fellows, will be launched on Thursday 15
October 2015 at the Daphne Jackson Research Conference at the Wellcome Collection in London. It
highlights the overwhelming success and impact that Daphne Jackson Fellowships have on researchers who
are returning to the workplace following a prolonged career break taken for family, caring or health reasons.
The Daphne Jackson Trust’s 2015 survey of its former fellows, which had a 79% response rate, shows that
over 90% of Daphne Jackson Fellows continue working in STEM for the majority of their career postFellowship, with over 70% remaining in research-based roles for 2 years post-Fellowship and 57% for up to 5
years post-Fellowship.
90% of former Fellows who responded to the survey, said the Fellowship had helped them secure
subsequent jobs, and 72% said they are now in their first choice career. Over 90% said the Fellowship had a
beneficial effect on their confidence, and 88% said it helped their professional/job satisfaction.
The Trust’s Chief Executive, Dr Katie Perry, said “I really couldn’t be happier with the results of our latest
survey, I want to shout about the Trust from the rooftops! I know that the fellowships we offer are unique
and they really work, but its very satisfying to have such an excellent survey report to prove it.
I think Daphne would be very proud of all we have achieved, and as I knew her personally and she was a
great mentor to me in my career, the fact that I am now driving her vision forward makes it particularly
special for me.”
There is increasing recognition that returners represent an untapped pool of talent, and that Daphne Jackson
Fellowships are an excellent example of best practice in supporting returners to academic STEM careers.
Although working practices and regulations are improving with reductions to inequalities and
encouragement for flexible working, many people who have trained in STEM subjects and worked for a
number of years in research, struggle to return after a career break without the tailored retraining
programme, support, guidance, mentoring and advice offered by a Daphne Jackson fellowship.
Professor Teresa Anderson, MBE, is the Chair of Trustees and is delighted to be attending the conference on
Thursday. “For many researchers, ‘life’ happens, they have a family, relocate, need to care for a loved one or
are ill and they think that will be the end of a promising research career, but our fellowships offer a way to
get back to research. As a sector we make a huge effort to persuade people to pursue careers in STEM in the
first place – we must also remember that retaining talent is equally important. There really is a forgotten
workforce out there and we intend to continue helping them to return,” she said.
The Research Conference is an excellent showcase for more than 40 Fellows who will be presenting their
research, covering the whole spectrum of STEM areas. The conference is an excellent opportunity for
current and former Fellows to meet and network with many of the organisations who sponsor the
fellowships, host organisations, Trustees and supporters of the Trust.
The Trust is very grateful to the Wellcome Trust, the Institute of Physics, BBSRC, EPSRC, MRC, NERC and STFC
for sponsoring the conference and to the Wellcome Collection for hosting it.
ENDS
For any media enquiries please contact: Indi Ghangrekar on i.ghangrekar@surrey.ac.uk 01483689166 or
07716324449, or Katie Perry on Katie.perry@surrey.ac.uk on 07717 005239.
Katie Perry is available for interviews or comment all week but on Thursday will only be available early
morning until 9am. Trustees and Fellows are available for interviews, please arrange these through Indi
Ghangrekar.
Notes for Editors

The Daphne Jackson Trust is the UK’s leading organisation dedicated to realising the potential of
scientists and engineers returning to research following a career break.

The Trust was established in 1992 following the death of Professor Daphne Jackson, the UK's first
female Physics professor. Professor Jackson recognised that women who took a career break to
bring up children faced barriers when they tried to return to their careers. In 1986, Daphne
established a pilot scheme to support such individuals with opportunities to return to STEM research
on a part-time basis and with re-training as required.

The Daphne Jackson Trust supports women and men (men since 2003) who have taken a career
break of two years or more for family, caring, or health reasons. The Fellowships provide a unique
level of flexibility, mentoring, and retraining that give individuals the confidence and skills they need
to successfully return to their STEM career. Daphne Jackson Fellowships are unique in offering a
research project coupled with an individually tailored retraining programme.

298 fellowships have been awarded to date, with 54 fellows currently in post. The Trust currently
awards around 25 fellowships per year. Approximately 1 in 20 Fellowships are awarded to men.

Further details of our Fellows and their return to research can be found on our website at
http://www.daphnejackson.org/fellowships/meet/

The Daphne Jackson Trust Research Conference is at the Wellcome collection, Euston Road, NW1
2BE, 10.30-16.30 on Thursday 15th October 2015. Press are welcome to attend on the day. Please
email Djmft@surrey.ac.uk to register to attend. The conference programme can be found on our
website at http://www.daphnejackson.org/news/conference/2015/programme/.