Author Archives: Athene Donald

On Saying No

The comments on my last post have prompted me finally to write this one, one that I have had in mind for a few weeks. In fact, ever since I gave a talk at Merton College, Oxford, when an audience … Continue reading

Posted in Research, Science Culture, Women in Science | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Living on the Edge of Equilibrium

Last week my bike got a puncture. So what, you might ask. In itself this is totally trivial, but it also represents the way the trivial gets in the way of everything else. A puncture for me represents potential disaster. … Continue reading

Posted in Science Culture | Tagged , , , | 31 Comments

Considering the Historical Context

At a talk I gave in Sheffield last week the local MP Meg Munn remarked on the fact that, being a non-scientist, she had learned a lot about how science is done from reading my blog (in particular this one, … Continue reading

Posted in History of Science, Teaching | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

Getting the Writing Right

As one moves through life, there are many different types of writing one needs to master. Schooling may produce a standardised kind of essay which is of only limited use when it comes to writing one’s thesis. Many universities will … Continue reading

Posted in Communicating Science, Science Culture | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Virginia Woolf’s Messages for Today

Although I read many of her novels as a teenager, I only came to reading Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own somewhat late in life. I have recently reread it. On a second reading I am even more struck … Continue reading

Posted in Equality | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment