Research Careers: Restarted

Impact Report 2026

Our Impact Report captures the difference that returner-focused support can make to individual careers and lives, as well as to the wider research landscape.

“Here at the Daphne Jackson Trust, we support people returning to research after a career break of at least two years taken for family, caring or health reasons. Named in honour of Daphne Jackson, the UK’s first female Professor of Physics and creator of the initial fellowships, we’ve helped more than 500 people return to research with confidence.

The 2026 report focuses on our research fellowships and is based on data from the 297 former fellows who responded to our 2025 former fellows’ survey, as well as data held by the Trust as of October 2025. Our survey not only tells us what our former fellows are doing, but also how they are feeling, what their fellowship did for them and the positive impact it has had on their careers. Many fellows say that their fellowship and return to research after a significant career break has been transformational in their lives.

While these insights offer a powerful picture of individual impact, they also sit within an exciting period of evolution for the Trust itself. Over the last five years we have expanded to include the Republic of Ireland, extended more of our research fellowships to three years, and developed a new Research Technical Professional Fellowship.”

Dr Katie Perry, Chief Executive Officer at the Daphne Jackson Trust.

Forty years on from the first fellowship, Daphne’s legacy continues to demonstrate that returners strengthen not only research, but universities and the UK more widely. The significant impact these fellows have made – across their research fields, in public engagement and outreach, and within the wider sector – makes us proud to host the Daphne Jackson Trust here at the University of Surrey.”

Stephen A Jarvis, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Surrey