Author Archives: Athene Donald

Sold for a Mess of Potage

Posted on 17 March 2018 by Athene Donald

A couple of weeks back I undertook another trip to Europe. A trip that got extended by nearly a day due to snow which disrupted my travel plans, thereby making it impossible for me to get back to the UK … Continue reading →

Posted in EMBL, ERC, Frankfurt, Janet Thornton, Research, Science Culture, Science Funding | Comments Off on Sold for a Mess of Potage

What Can I Do? Press for Progress….

Posted on 8 March 2018 by Athene Donald

What follows is a lightly edited version of the address I gave at the joint Churchill/Murray Edwards Colleges ‘Humanist Happenings’ last Sunday, in advance of International Women’s Day today. Today is International Women’s Day, with its theme of Press for … Continue reading →

Posted in Amplification, Bystander, Equality, International Women's Day, Women in science, Women's Lib | Comments Off on What Can I Do? Press for Progress….

Nothing’s Wasted

Posted on 26 February 2018 by Athene Donald

No doubt the majority of my readers are far more familiar with TEDx talks than I am, and have watched many more than I have. They are a notion that has floated past me occasionally. I have been asked to … Continue reading →

Posted in Communicating Science, media, memory, TEDx, Whitehall | Comments Off on Nothing’s Wasted

The Only Woman in the Room

Posted on 18 February 2018 by Athene Donald

The Only Woman in the Room, is not only an experience I have frequently endured, but is also the title of a 2015 book by Eileen Pollack (subtitled Why Science is Still a Boy’s Club). I’m not sure why this … Continue reading →

Posted in coeducation, Eileen Pollack, physics, Women in science, Yale | Comments Off on The Only Woman in the Room

What do We Lose if We Lose Access to the ERC?

Posted on 9 February 2018 by Athene Donald

This week I was in Brussels in my capacity as a Scientific Council Member of the European Research Council. One of the roles we are all expected to fulfil from time to time is as observer of the various panels … Continue reading →

Posted in Brexit, Brussels, Research Councils, Science Funding, Unconscious bias | Comments Off on What do We Lose if We Lose Access to the ERC?

One Hundred Years

Posted on 6 February 2018 by Athene Donald

Today we celebrate the Suffragettes’ victory 100 years ago: votes for (some) women. A timely moment to reflect on the state of play in terms of equality. More than seven years ago I wrote the post below about the Equal … Continue reading →

Posted in Dagenham, equal pay, Equality, Mary Beard, Suffragettes | Comments Off on One Hundred Years

When Should You Say Yes?

Posted on 29 January 2018 by Athene Donald

I am prompted to ask this question by a whole slew of different events and stories this past week. The question is in part a general one about what is good for careers, and in part it reflects gender issues … Continue reading →

Posted in committee work, Impostor syndrome, manel, Science Culture, Women in science | Comments Off on When Should You Say Yes?

Now I understand Proust better (but feel less positive about Athena Swan)

Posted on 22 January 2018 by Athene Donald

You know the story about Marcel Proust and the madeleine – how the memories came flooding back when he nibbled at one with a cup of tea. I always thought this was slightly ridiculous, but perhaps ageing means I now … Continue reading →

Posted in Athena Swan, Dillon's, UCL, Women in science | Comments Off on Now I understand Proust better (but feel less positive about Athena Swan)

Changing the Patriarchy (Perhaps)

Posted on 14 January 2018 by Athene Donald

I’m afraid this is going to be a derivative blog. Derivative because I’m prompted to write it due to two recent articles I’ve read, but I’d like to turn their ideas into the world of academia. The first was in … Continue reading →

Posted in Equality, Hadley Freeman, Kate Manne, misogyny, sexism | Comments Off on Changing the Patriarchy (Perhaps)

‘I do like kissing games’

Posted on 7 January 2018 by Athene Donald

After Harvey Weinstein there have been suggestions that we’ve reached a ‘tipping point’, that the genie can’t be put back into the bottle and that our society will clean itself up with respect to sexual harassment. I wish. In the … Continue reading →

Posted in Equality, harassment, Harvey Weinstein, misogyny, name-calling, Women in science | Comments Off on ‘I do like kissing games’