Author Archives: Athene Donald

The Matilda Effect and Jean Purdy

There are well-known instances of women in science being apparently overlooked for a Nobel Prize: Jocelyn Bell Burnell, springs to mind, as do Lisa Meitner and Rosalind Franklin (if one ignores the inconvenient fact that she was dead by the … Continue reading

Posted in Churchill College Archives, Equality, IVF, Patrick Steptoe, Robert Edwards, Women in science | Comments Off on The Matilda Effect and Jean Purdy

Examining Season

Students, you may want to look away now as I’m going to give away some of the secrets of exam marking, as I’ve discovered them over more years than I care to remember. Firstly, it is extremely boring. If you … Continue reading

Posted in education, marking, students | Comments Off on Examining Season

A Crisis in Mental Health in Academia?

It will surprise no one in academia to know that it is an environment that is stressful, frequently precarious and there never seem to be enough hours in the day. The HEPI report on mental health issues in academia by … Continue reading

Posted in education, HEPI, Liz Morrish, suicide, well-being | Comments Off on A Crisis in Mental Health in Academia?

Letting It Go

To many people Steve Shirley is an early entrepreneur in software development who made a fortune; a woman who rebranded herself with a man’s name in order to avoid being ignored by the blue chip companies she wanted to use … Continue reading

Posted in Angela Saini, autism, Charlotte Proudman, Equality, mental health, Steve Shirley | Comments Off on Letting It Go

Letting It Go

To many people Steve Shirley is an early entrepreneur in software development who made a fortune; a woman who rebranded herself with a man’s name in order to avoid being ignored by the blue chip companies she wanted to use … Continue reading

Posted in Angela Saini, autism, Charlotte Proudman, Equality, mental health, Steve Shirley | Comments Off on Letting It Go

Friends with Benefits

A recent study shows – in Switzerland at least – that nominated referees judge grants more favourably than those unconnected with the applicant. I’m afraid I didn’t find the conclusion of the study a surprise. Additionally I suspect that having … Continue reading

Posted in ERC, grants, Matthew effect, panels, referees, Science Culture, Science Funding | Comments Off on Friends with Benefits

Telling A Life Story

It has been a while since I last posted on my blog. In part that was down to the Easter holidays, but more than that I think it was a combination of the exhaustion of the previous term, coupled with … Continue reading

Posted in CV, family, resilience, Science Culture | Comments Off on Telling A Life Story

Getting Away from the Toxic Lab

The journal PLoS Computational Biology recently published an article Ten simple rules towards healthier research labs. Written by a PI it was obviously aimed largely at those who might be just setting out with their own groups, but clearly any … Continue reading

Posted in CV, group leader, mentors, Research, Science Culture, support | Comments Off on Getting Away from the Toxic Lab

Does Leadership Need to be More Touchy-Feely?

If our sector is to see more minorities rise through the ranks to positions of power, indeed if any sector is to achieve this and go on, for instance, to remove the typical gender pay gap, then inclusive leadership needs … Continue reading

Posted in Equality, group leader, humble, inclusivity, minorities, PhD students, Science Culture | Comments Off on Does Leadership Need to be More Touchy-Feely?

Tears Before Bedtime

Tears Before Bedtime It is a well-worn trope that women weep and men shout. Stereotypical but, although I have occasionally seen women shout I have yet to see a man break down in public when losing an argument (as opposed … Continue reading

Posted in bullying, emotion, Science Culture, shouting | Comments Off on Tears Before Bedtime