Monthly Archives: July 2019

The Transition Period

“What’s going to happen with the second year students that I usually teach in the old curriculum when I’m teaching the new curriculum to the first years?” asked a colleague. YIKES! Somehow I had naively pictured our entire student body … Continue reading

Posted in education, Materials Science | Comments Off on The Transition Period

Sausage Machines in the Academic Lab

There was a bit of a spat over Twitter last week regarding how many hours students (and postdocs) should be expected to do at the bench. This originated in a tweet from a professor of chemistry but I don’t think … Continue reading

Posted in Phd student training, PhD students, Science Culture, Science Funding, skills | Comments Off on Sausage Machines in the Academic Lab

Do You Know How Many Children Boris Has?

Today I was giving a talk within the University about building an inclusive workplace; more than just about gender, of course, but that is where the majority of my experience lies. There are so many obstacles, big and small, which … Continue reading

Posted in Dorothy Hodgkin, Equality, Inclusion, Ursula Von der Leyen | Comments Off on Do You Know How Many Children Boris Has?

Who Do You Think You Are?

This is not about the TV programme of the same name. I would not be a good contender for that because, at least on one side of the family, I know quite a lot about my antecedents so I doubt … Continue reading

Posted in compliments, Impostor syndrome, poise, Science Culture, Women in science | Comments Off on Who Do You Think You Are?

50 Years Is Not Long Enough

Last weekend I returned to Girton College to join the celebrations for 150 years since its Foundation (albeit the college was originally situated in Hitchin). This was the college of my undergraduate and postgraduate years. When I entered the college … Continue reading

Posted in admission to degrees, Churchill College, education, Equality, Girton College, Philippa Fawcett, Women in science | Comments Off on 50 Years Is Not Long Enough