Katie Perry studied physics at the University of Surrey in the UK, staying on there to do a PhD. While at Surrey, she worked with the nuclear physicist Daphne Jackson, who was the first female physics professor in the UK. Perry later worked in science communication – both as a science writer and in public relations.

She is currently chief executive of the Daphne Jackson Trust – a charity that supports returners to research careers after a break of at least two years for family, caring or health reasons. It offers fellowships to support people to overcome the challenges of returning, ensuring that their skills, talent, training and career promise are not lost.

What skills do you use every day in your job?

One of the most important skills is multitasking and working in an agile and flexible way. I’m often travelling to meetings, conferences and other events so I have to work wherever I am, whether it’s on a train, in a hotel or at the office. How I work reminds me of a moment I had towards the end of my physics degree when suddenly everything I’d been learning seemed to fit together; I could see both the detail and the bigger picture. It’s the same now. I have to switch quickly from one project or task to another, while keeping oversight of the overall direction and operation of the charity.

I am a strong advocate for part time and flexible working, not just for me, but for all my staff and the Daphne Jackson fellows. As a manager, a key skill is to see the person and their value – not just the hours they are working. Communication and networking skills are also vital as much of my role involves developing collaborations and working with stakeholders. I could be meeting a university vice chancellor, attending a networking reception, talking to our fellows or ensuring the trust complies with charity governance – all in one day.

What do you like best and least about your job?

I love my current role, and at the risk of sounding a little cheesy, it’s because of the trust’s amazing staff and the inspiring returners we support. The fact that I knew Daphne Jackson means that leading the organization is personal to me. I’m always blown away by how inspirational, dedicated, motivated and talented our fellows are and I love supporting them to return to successful research careers. It’s a privilege to lead the charity, helping to understand the challenges and barriers that returners face – and finding ways to overcome them.

Leading a small charity requires a broad set of skills. I enjoy the variety but it’s a challenge because you’re not so much a “chief executive officer” as a “chief everything officer”. I don’t have huge teams of people to help me with, say, human resources, finance or health and safety, which makes it struggle to do them as well as I’d like. It’s therefore important to have a good work-life balance, which is why I recently took up golf. I’ve yet to have a work meeting while out practising my swing, but one day my diary might say I’m “on a course”!

What do you know today, that you wish you knew when you were starting out in your career?

If I could go back in time, I’d tell myself – like I now tell my daughter – that it’s fine not to have a defined career path or plan. Sure, it helps to have an idea of what you want to do, but you have to live and work a little to discover what you like and – more importantly – don’t like. Careers these days are highly non-linear. Unexpected life events happen so you have to adapt, just as our Daphne Jackson fellows have done.

If someone had said to me in my 20s, when I was planning a career in science communication, that I’d be a charity chief executive I wouldn’t have believed them. But here I am running a charity founded in memory of the physicist who was such a great mentor to me during my PhD. When one door closes, a window often opens – so don’t be afraid to take set off in a new direction. It can be scary, but it’s often worth the effort.

I’d also tell my younger self to network like crazy. So many opportunities have opened up because I love speaking to people. You never know who you might meet at events or what making new connections can lead to. Finally, I wish I’d known that “impostor syndrome” will always be with you – and that it’s okay to feel that way provided you recognize it and manage it. Chances are, you may never defeat it completely.

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More than 250 quantum scientists have signed a “manifesto” opposing the use of quantum research for military purposes. The statement – quantum scientists for disarmament –  expresses a “deep concern” about the current geopolitical situation and “categorically rejects” the militarization of quantum research or its use in population control and surveillance. The signatories now call for an open debate about the ethical implications of quantum research.

While quantum science has the potential to improve many different areas – from sensors and medicine to computing – some are concerned about its applications for military purposes. They includes quantum key distribution and cryptographic networks for communication as well as quantum clocks and sensing for military navigation and positioning.

Marco Cattaneo from the University of Helsinki in Finland, who co-authored the manifesto, says that even the potential applications of quantum technologies in warfare can be used to militarize universities and research agendas, which he says is already happening. He notes is not unusual for scientists to openly discuss military applications at conferences or to include such details in scientific papers.

“We are already witnessing restrictions on research collaborations with fellow quantum scientists from countries that are geopolitically opposed or ambiguous with respect to the European Union, such as Russia or China,” says Cattaneo. “When talking with our non-European colleagues, we also realized that these concerns are global and multifaceted.”

Long-term aims

The idea for a manifesto originated during a quantum-information workshop that was held in Benasque in Spain between June and July 2025.

“During a session on science policy, we realized that many of us shared the same concerns about the growing militarization of quantum science and academia,” Cattaneo recalls. “As physicists, we have a strong – and terrible – historical example that can guide our actions: the development of nuclear weapons, and the way the physics community organized to oppose them and to push for their control and abolition.”

Cattaneo says that the first goal of the manifesto is to address the militarization of quantum research, which he calls “the elephant in the room”. The document also aims to raise awareness and open a debate within the community and create a forum where concerns can be shared.

“A longer-term goal is to prevent, or at least to limit and critically address, research on quantum technologies for military purposes,” says Cattaneo. He notes that “one concrete proposal” is to push public universities and research institutes to publish a database of all projects with military goals or military funding, which, he says,  “would be a major step forward.”

Cattaneo claims the group is “not naïve” and understands that stopping the technology’s military application completely will not be possible. “Even if military uses of some quantum technologies cannot be completely stopped, we can still advocate for excluding them from public universities, for abolishing classified quantum research in public research institutions, and for creating associations and committees that review and limit the militarization of quantum technologies,” he adds.

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