Category Archives: Science Culture

Marital High Jinks and Academia

Posted on September 11, 2017 by Athene Donald

I am quite sure I have never previously had occasion to write the name Wayne Rooney in any situation, but he does seem relevant to the topic of gendered sentences. Hadley Freeman wrote a withering piece last week about how … Continue reading →

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

The Summer is Over

Posted on September 8, 2017 by Athene Donald

I have recently returned (so yes, I feel the summer is over) from a few days holiday in places far less flat than Cambridge which provided enough time to sink into the unusual bliss of uninterrupted reading. So, rather than … Continue reading →

Posted in biography, Book Review, Science Culture | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

References from the Past

Posted on August 27, 2017 by Athene Donald

It is a standard part of our job and our responsibilities to write letters of reference for students and postdocs, past and present. But I sometimes get very frustrated by those who ask me to write a letter of support … Continue reading →

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Laying Ghosts to Rest

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Athene Donald

Many years ago I was invited to give one of the keynote talks at a conference in the USA. I was  young and I was flattered. It was a Conference on Polymer Physics held on the east coast of America. … Continue reading →

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

The Sound of Silence

Posted on August 5, 2017 by Athene Donald

There is the blissful silence away from email because you are lounging on a warm beach somewhere (or up a cold and wet mountain, according to taste) with your smart phone resolutely turned off. But the silence only lasts as … Continue reading →

Posted in Science Culture | Tagged , , | 6 Comments