Author Archives: Athene Donald

All Human Life is There (Happy 1st Birthday OccamT)

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Athene Donald

The first part of this statement was once the proud motto of the now deceased and unlamented News of the World. In a friendlier vein, compared with many of the ignorant witch hunts they pursued and the dirt they used … Continue reading →

Posted in blogging, Science Culture | Tagged , | 8 Comments

Lecture Theatre Habits

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Athene Donald

Last week I attended Anniversary Day at the Royal Society, during which there was a discussion meeting for Fellows, as well as the President’s Annual Address given in an open forum. This venerable body is 351 years old now, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Education | Tagged , , | 15 Comments

The Greatest Engineer?

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Athene Donald

Isambard Kingdom Brunel may only have been trumped by Winston Churchill when the BBC prepared its list of top 100 Great Britons, based on a public vote, but I wonder if most people’s perceptions were as hazy as mine were … Continue reading →

Posted in History of Science | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Cultural Differences?

Posted on November 26, 2011 by Athene Donald

How does the French academic environment differ from the British, particularly for women? Each year a group of us convene at ESPCI  (the École Supérieure de Physique et de Chimie Industrielles de la Ville de Paris in France) in the … Continue reading →

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

On Lechery and Other Failings

Posted on November 20, 2011 by Athene Donald

Recently there has been some discussion about ‘what do professors do?’ in the press, with comments from fellow OT blogger Stephen Curry (and on my own blog here), with a major emphasis on leadership, mentoring, teaching and the desirability of … Continue reading →

Posted in Science Culture, Women in Science | Tagged , , | 14 Comments