Author Archives: Athene Donald

Impostors at a Conference

Posted on 15 September 2022 by Athene Donald

September has always been a busy time for conferences, and I have attended a fair few in my time. However, the one I attended this week was the first scientific one I recall having impostor syndrome publicly mentioned several times, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Dodgy Encounters with a Fragile Piece of Equipment

Posted on 31 August 2022 by Athene Donald

Doing a PhD is hard work, stressful and uncertain. Even with the most understanding of supervisors, the clearest goals and routes to get there, there will be hiccoughs and worse en route to getting the letters after your name. And, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in craze, Ed Kramer, electron microscopy, luck, Research, Siemens | Comments Off on Dodgy Encounters with a Fragile Piece of Equipment

Celebrations are in Order

Posted on 21 August 2022 by Athene Donald

A Level results are out, and students are now either celebrating, or sitting in misery having had their worst fears confirmed. Cambridge colleges, such as my own, will be assessing whether or not we’ve hit our multiple targets – by … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Churchill College, education, minority status, STEM, Women in science | Comments Off on Celebrations are in Order

Joining the Dots Around Skills

Posted on 10 August 2022 by Athene Donald

You don’t have to read beyond the first few lines of the summary of last week’s House of Lords’ Science and Technology Select Committee Report to recognize they are sceptical about the Government’s direction of travel when it comes to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in absorptive capacity, careers, diffusion, education, Felixstowe, green economy, House of Lords, Science Funding | Comments Off on Joining the Dots Around Skills

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