Monthly Archives: May 2021

Wild!

Posted on 31 May 2021 by Henry Gee

Cromer is going wild! This notice from my daily constitutional shows that a small corner of a park, wedged between a childrens’ playground and the bowls club, is being allowed to let its hair down. I suspect that this will … Continue reading →

Posted in Beeching, Blog Norfolk!, Cromer, forests, Lutyens, Overstrand, rewilding, woodland | Comments Off on Wild!

Levelling up for Whom?

Posted on 31 May 2021 by Athene Donald

A recent HEPI report, written by Sarah Chaytor, Grace Gottlieb and Graeme Reid, all from UCL, considered aspects of levelling up and regional policy. Amongst their conclusions was that, despite what other commentators have said, the UK is not particularly … Continue reading →

Posted in Cambridge, East of England, Graene Reid, Science Funding, The Missing Four Billion | Comments Off on Levelling up for Whom?

To be or not to be exceptional?

Posted on 23 May 2021 by Stephen

I can’t remember how I came across this video from philosopher Alain de Botton, but I feel seen. Like many academics, I guess, I have always prized scholarly achievement. And of course, within our systems of research assessment, we are … Continue reading →

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Do you know Excellence when you see it?

Posted on 23 May 2021 by Athene Donald

Politicians toss around phrases like ‘levelling up’ and ‘build back better’, not to mention ‘freedom of speech’, with gay abandon. Such words sound so positive and authoritative, what could be the problem? As many people have pointed out, however, there … Continue reading →

Posted in bias, careers, ERC, grant-giving panels, Matthew effect, REF, Research, Science Funding | Comments Off on Do you know Excellence when you see it?

How Best to Tackle Bullying?

Posted on 17 May 2021 by Athene Donald

How can we make the university sector a more pleasant place to work? Bullying and harassment (whether of a sexual nature or not) are, it would appear, endemic across the higher education sector, for staff and students alike. Every survey … Continue reading →

Posted in Bystander, culture change, Science Culture, toxic culture change, wellcome, Women in science | Comments Off on How Best to Tackle Bullying?

Rock

Posted on 13 May 2021 by Henry Gee

There’s been a lot of it about. Musicians, that is, unable to play live during lockdown, finding other ways to express themselves. During the recent hiatus I have become very keen on home recording, and some of the results are … Continue reading →

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Where are the Women of Yester Year?

Posted on 12 May 2021 by Athene Donald

A few weeks ago I wrote about Mary Astell, a woman from the seventeenth century whose interest and reading in natural philosophy/science was, as has recently become clear, much greater than had previously been attributed to her. I am intrigued … Continue reading →

Posted in Barbara Strozzi, composers, Equality, Music, Sally Beamish | Comments Off on Where are the Women of Yester Year?

An open letter to students of Materials Science and Engineering

Posted on 5 May 2021 by Nicola Spaldin

(first published in The Materialist, May 2021) Dear Materials Science and Engineering Students, I congratulate you whole-heartedly on your choice of Materials Science and Engineering for your undergraduate studies.  You are all a whole lot smarter than I am. When … Continue reading →

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Allotment

Posted on 3 May 2021 by Henry Gee

Many years ago when the Gees lived in east London, and I commuted regularly to an orifice office that was located away from my home [fancy! did they still have typewriters? Horse-drawn omnibuses? Public executions? – Ed]  I had an … Continue reading →

Posted in allotment, Domesticrox, Gardening, Lady Chatterley, Mellors, the joy of digging | Comments Off on Allotment