Unlocking a career in quantum security

Unlocking all the options

“I felt like there were lots of options open to an engineer,” Philip says. He joined the ELS programme to explore them. “I was getting lots of academic training at that point in my degree and I wanted to flesh that out with some additional skills,” he adds. 

Philip spent some of this ELS funding on a language course. “One of the options I was looking at the time was working abroad so I thought language skills could unlock those routes,” he says. Philip also attended conferences to gain knowledge of outside his engineering science degree, including nuclear fusion, and quantum technologies, which was another new and emerging field. “It gave me more exposure to the area and that ended up fuelling the direction of my academic career after my undergrad.”

Quantum leap

Philip decided to do a PhD in quantum-secured communications at the University of Bristol, using quantum technologies to try and improve the security currently used in telecommunication networks, which is of huge
importance when it comes to critical infrastructure. “The focus was to use integrated chips – the same sort of devices we use in our mobiles or computers – for this security purpose,” he explains. A year-long programme
at the Quantum Technology Enterprise Centre after his PhD allowed him to flesh out the business case for a commercial venture.

From that research, he cofounded a company called KETS Quantum Security and raised seed funding. The company now has 14 staff working towards its first prototype and demonstrator and is in the process of raising more funds to scale.

Advice

Philip says he thinks it is useful for students wanting to cement a career they have in mind, or help them  explore new avenues in engineering. “There is also the benefit of the funding so you’re able to broaden your horizons,” he adds.