We work among extraordinary people doing extraordinary things; get to know some of them by reading these quick-fire interviews.
Name: Rachael Harris
Job title: Programme Director, Oxford Quantum Institute
What are you currently working on?
Oxford Quantum Institute (OQI) recently opened its doors in a purpose-built hub space in the Townsend Building to bring together more than 60 research groups working in quantum across the University. I am currently working on establishing a series of different fellowship programmes that will be key to facilitating our interdisciplinary, sector-leading work. These include our OQI Fellowships, open to both Early Career Research and Senior Fellows and run in partnership with multiple departments. We are also establishing a Visiting Fellows programme where visitors from industry and other international institutes will be hosted by OQI for several months; they will be able to work on specific projects with Oxford academics and collaborate with other OQI fellows. OQI will also have a Policy Fellow to increase effective engagement with government. We are also developing our programme for industry partners, membership of which opens doors to world-leading interdisciplinary quantum research and emerging technologies, enabling potential for collaborations with our academics, researchers, fellows and other associates. The programme will cultivate an exchange of ideas, resources and talent between Oxford and broad sectors of industry. Alongside this foundational, strategic work, I am in the planning stages of several upcoming events, including OQI’s official launch in March 2027. This two-day conference will highlight what Oxford is already doing in quantum and explore what we want to do next.
Describe a typical day
As I live on the south coast, I split my week between Oxford and home. If I am staying in Oxford, I prefer to come into the department early to get some focussed work done before meetings start. As OQI is in its early stages and I am new to the University, there are a lot of meetings and I try to have most of them in person where possible. It’s important in my role to build good relationships with colleagues across the University, and learning how different departments, centres and teams integrate and fit into the bigger picture of the quantum landscape overall. I come across so much new information and potential opportunities from these discussions that it can be tempting (but impossible) to try to do everything at once. After work I like to get to know Oxford better by exploring a different part of the city or visiting one of the colleges, museums or libraries.
On the days I work from home, I will exercise or go for a dip in the sea before work and then have a more focussed day integrating ideas from discussions into the programmes I am developing. Then I attempt to navigate the mountain of paperwork and processes required to make those programmes happen! As a reward for sitting at my desk all day, evenings are for sports, hobbies and getting out into nature.
What got you into physics?
As a child, I was completely obsessed with space and wanted to be an astronaut, an ambition which carried on into my late teens – until I found out that astronauts all drink each other’s recycled urine, which, to be honest, severely dampened my enthusiasm. So, I set my sights closer to home and decided to study geophysics at Imperial. For me, it was the most fascinating degree - using the language of maths and physics to give meaning to real-world observations. It’s incredibly satisfying to battle the elements and hike up a volcano or trek into a glacial basin with all your equipment to gather gravity data or map magnetic fields on a large scale whilst also searching for microscopic details in individual rock crystals that can be the key to interpreting results or understanding what was happening on Earth and in space millions of years ago. It felt like being an old-fashioned explorer or time traveller.
If you had an entire day at your disposal (not at work/studying), what would be your ideal way to spend it?
I’d start the day early by the sea with friends, either beach yoga in the summer, or at a Nordic sauna that has recently been built on the beach near me. It’s wonderful in the winter months, and makes running into the freezing water worthwhile. Then I would go to my boxing class - I am terrible at it, but I love it nonetheless. This would be followed by a long walk and a picnic in the New Forest with my husband, or we would kayak and fish. We might have friends over for dinner if we have been lucky enough to catch anything. I will always try to watch the sunset or the moon rise if possible and no day is complete without some time with a good book.
What is your favourite place in Oxford?
I am still discovering more interesting places each week, currently my favourite is on the top floor of the Radcliffe Camera, I have found the perfect chair to read in with a view over the city. Although, the best place to write is in the Taylorian, I am not saying where though in case you take my favourite desk!
Plan B: what would you be if you weren’t doing the job you are currently doing?
I would probably be writing. I used to be a science journalist but am currently having my first attempt at writing fiction - it’s a retelling of a Greek myth with a hefty dose of fantasy and I am really enjoying it. I find writing to be far more fun when it is not my main job, so it can safely stay as a plan B.