Author Archives: Athene Donald

Are Things Getting Better for Postdocs in Cambridge?

Posted on 16 July 2017 by Athene Donald

As a recent article in Nature pointed out, housing costs in Cambridge are a significant issue for new recruits to the university. As a city it suffers both from its proximity to London – well within commuter belt, as the … Continue reading →

Posted in accommodation, North West Cambridge, Office for Postdoctoral Affairs, Research, Science Culture | Comments Off on Are Things Getting Better for Postdocs in Cambridge?

The Importance of Finding Nothing Out

Posted on 12 July 2017 by Athene Donald

‘Melts in the mouth, not in the hand’: so said a chocolate advertisement from my youth for the predecessor of Minstrels (a discontinued brand called Treets). Melting temperature is of course an important consideration when it comes to the elegance … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrew Cohen, chocolate, Hannah Devlin, Industrial Strategy Commission, Research, Science Culture | Comments Off on The Importance of Finding Nothing Out

Inching Forward

Posted on 7 July 2017 by Athene Donald

This week Cambridge University held its annual Diversity event, hosted by the Vice Chancellor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, always known as Borys. He has been an outstanding leader on this, as on so many fronts, but he is retiring as VC … Continue reading →

Posted in double standards, Equality, Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, The Meaning of Success, University of Cambridge, Women in science | Comments Off on Inching Forward

Visiting the Roots of the Industrial Revolution

Posted on 4 July 2017 by Athene Donald

I managed to sneak in a few days break in Derbyshire between two major College activities. It was good to escape to a less flat landscape than Cambridgeshire can manage and stretch my muscles up the steep hills that the … Continue reading →

Posted in History of Science, quarries, Richard Arkwright, Wirksworth | Comments Off on Visiting the Roots of the Industrial Revolution

The Challenge of Taking Time Out

Posted on 23 June 2017 by Athene Donald

I have been marking exams. However much students may and do hate taking the exams themselves, marking is also a very stressful period for those of us who have to do it. We wish to do it with the utmost … Continue reading →

Posted in exams, grieving, Pressure, Science Culture | Comments Off on The Challenge of Taking Time Out

The Patronising Colleague

Posted on 18 June 2017 by Athene Donald

Patronising and mansplaining are both irredeemably etymologically male. I cannot think of female equivalents. That isn’t to say that women can never be patronising or indulge in mansplaining, but I suspect the frequency with which they go in for such … Continue reading →

Posted in frustration, mansplaining, Science Culture, sponsorship, Women in science | Comments Off on The Patronising Colleague

The Patronising Colleague

Posted on 18 June 2017 by Athene Donald

Patronising and mansplaining are both irredeemably etymologically male. I cannot think of female equivalents. That isn’t to say that women can never be patronising or indulge in mansplaining, but I suspect the frequency with which they go in for such … Continue reading →

Posted in frustration, mansplaining, Science Culture, sponsorship, Women in science | Comments Off on The Patronising Colleague

Get a Life

Posted on 8 June 2017 by Athene Donald

I should have known better. At the Hay Festival last week, as my last post alluded to, I mentioned the gendering of toys. This point was one of many I tried to put across during my talk on why the … Continue reading →

Posted in Communicating Science, Hay Festival, lego, Let Toys be Toys, Women in science | Comments Off on Get a Life

Masquerading Amongst the Literati

Posted on 1 June 2017 by Athene Donald

Things did not get off to a good start as I travelled to Hay-on-Wye this week. I arrived at Hereford railway station to be greeted by – nothing. No sign of the car meant to be picking me up to … Continue reading →

Posted in audiences, Communicating Science, Equality, gender, Hay Festival, lego, Women in science | Comments Off on Masquerading Amongst the Literati

Writer’s Block

Posted on 28 May 2017 by Athene Donald

Regular readers of my blog will have noticed there has been nothing new to read for a while.  I guess this could be ascribed simply to the familiar problem of writer’s block, but it felt more like a complete loss … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, Communicating Science, email, energy, inbox, Science Culture | Comments Off on Writer’s Block