Author Archives: Athene Donald

To Travel or Not to Travel?

Posted on 27 July 2022 by Athene Donald

Now the academic year has come to an end, it is possible to start to reflect on the year past and what next year might, and I emphasise might, look like. This year has not been as full of Covid-stresses … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in carbon budgets, Communicating Science, conferences, hybrid meetings, Science Culture, Zoom | Comments Off on To Travel or Not to Travel?

Marking UKRI’s scorecard

Posted on 21 July 2022 by Athene Donald

UKRI is still a relatively young organization, trying to find its way in a funding landscape that has been impacted by Brexit, a pandemic and now soaring inflation eating away at the value of every grant or PhD stipend. Nevertheless, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in communications, grant review, interdisciplinarity, Nurse Review, Ottoline Leyser, Research, Science Funding | Comments Off on Marking UKRI’s scorecard

A Diversion into History of Science

Posted on 29 May 2022 by Athene Donald

As a physicist, I may enjoy reading popular history books, but I don’t expect to get involved with history. Coming to Churchill College has given me a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the Archives here and how they are … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Archives, Maggie Thatcher, Mary Astell, Rene Descartes, Women in science | Comments Off on A Diversion into History of Science

Getting Involved with Policy-making

Posted on 22 May 2022 by Athene Donald

Last week I presented evidence to the Commons’ Science and Technology’s Select Committee enquiry into Diversity and Inclusion in STEM. I don’t want to rehearse my arguments, which can be read in the transcript of the full morning’s session (or … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Brilliance, Diane Coyle, policy-making, Science and Technology Select Committee, Science Culture, Women in science | Comments Off on Getting Involved with Policy-making

Brilliance and Diversity

Posted on 15 May 2022 by Athene Donald

A couple of weeks ago I attended the annual conference of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy, and a fascinating day it was. Everyone in the hall seemed delighted to be back to meeting in person, but there were several … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in conferences, Diane Coyle, education, Equality, manels, Stereotypes | Comments Off on Brilliance and Diversity

Parliamentary Activity

Posted on 2 May 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 → Continue reading →

Posted in Interdisciplinary Science, Katherine Birbalsingh, Ottoline Leyser, Science and Technology Select Committee, Science Culture, Science Funding, UKRI, Women in science | Comments Off on Parliamentary Activity

The Human Face of the Carbon Queen

Posted on 3 April 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 → Continue reading →

Posted in Maia Weinstock, Millie Dresselhaus, MIT, Nancy Hopkins, Research, Women in science | Comments Off on The Human Face of the Carbon Queen

Indications of Direction of Travel at UKRI

Posted on 21 March 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 → Continue reading →

Posted in bullying, diversity, Excellence, porosity, precarity, Science Culture | Comments Off on Indications of Direction of Travel at UKRI

Accrual of Disadvantage

Posted on 8 March 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 → Continue reading →

Posted in citations, CVs, Equality, Matilda effect, student assessments, Unconscious bias, Women in science | Comments Off on Accrual of Disadvantage

A University Education and a Lifetime of Debt

Posted on 27 February 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 → Continue reading →

Posted in Augar Review, careers, education, Further Education, Levelling Up, lifetime loan entitlement | Comments Off on A University Education and a Lifetime of Debt