Author Archives: Athene Donald

Parliamentary Activity

Posted on May 2, 2022 by Athene Donald

This week has brought some curious interventions into the STEM landscape in Parliament. I will return shortly to the much-publicised, if seemingly ill-informed remarks about girls and Physics made by Katherine Birbalsingh – a headteacher and the Government’s social mobility … Continue reading →

Posted in Interdisciplinary Science, Science Culture, Science Funding, Women in Science | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

The Human Face of the Carbon Queen

Posted on April 3, 2022 by Athene Donald

In my Twitter feed, there has been much publicity about the recent biography of US physicist and electrical engineer Millie Dresselhaus, Carbon Queen, by Maia Weinstock. Dresselhaus’ lifetime of research spanned over five decades, studying many different forms of carbon, … Continue reading →

Posted in Research, Women in Science | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Indications of Direction of Travel at UKRI

Posted on March 21, 2022 by Athene Donald

I have been reading the recent publication from UKRI, their strategy document for the next five years. In UKRI’s relatively brief history, this is the first such document it has produced, because it is only now that they have any … Continue reading →

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Accrual of Disadvantage

Posted on March 8, 2022 by Athene Donald

Another year, another International Women’s Day. Sometimes I get frustrated that so much action happens on this one day of the year, and isn’t distributed uniformly throughout, so that the discussions, the highlighting, the signposting – all those necessary actions … Continue reading →

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A University Education and a Lifetime of Debt

Posted on February 27, 2022 by Athene Donald

Finally, the response to the Augar Review, for which we have been waiting for the rather splendid number of 1001 days, has been released. I will not accuse the Government of choosing a good day to bury bad news, because … Continue reading →

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