Author Archives: Athene Donald

Withdrawal Symptoms

Posted on 20 September 2016 by Athene Donald

As a new PI what advice is likely to be of assistance? Eight of us old hands were recently asked by the THE to write some words of wisdom, which newly-minted PI’s may or may not have found useful. Their … Continue reading →

Posted in advice, early career researchers, mentoring, principal investigator, Research, Science Culture | Comments Off on Withdrawal Symptoms

Freeing the Brain

Posted on 17 September 2016 by Athene Donald

I’ve been away for the past week somewhere where I really could escape my email. (My previous post about whether one should read email on holiday was written with feeling!) When I go away I particularly like to go somewhere … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, holidays, River Wye | Comments Off on Freeing the Brain

Failure in Real Life

Posted on 8 September 2016 by Athene Donald

Before my university term starts, I have two dates towards the end of September to talk to young women. One of these is directed at girls of school age, the other women at PhD level, to try to encourage them … Continue reading →

Posted in Communicating Science, CV, Outreach, school children, Science Culture, Stuart Firestein | Comments Off on Failure in Real Life

Flexible Working or Never Switched Off?

Posted on 3 September 2016 by Athene Donald

A number of years ago I noticed that the secretary to the committee I was chairing was regularly sending me emails late at night. Concerned the organisation was overloading the woman so that she could only catch up by working … Continue reading →

Posted in careers, email, part-time, Pressure, Science Culture | Comments Off on Flexible Working or Never Switched Off?

Why Didn’t I Become a Biologist?

Posted on 27 August 2016 by Athene Donald

The question in the title is not a rhetorical question. I find it strange when I look back at my early years, why I ended up so convinced I wanted to be a physicist, particularly as there was no family … Continue reading →

Posted in birdwatching, careers, education, Hampstead Heath, systematising | Comments Off on Why Didn’t I Become a Biologist?

Stiffening the Backbone

Posted on 21 August 2016 by Athene Donald

As usual the problem seems to lie with the sub-editors. I read a piece in the Guardian entitled  ‘Struggling students are not lacking resilience – they need more support.’ Reading the heading on its own I thought that the article … Continue reading →

Posted in education, mental health, supervisions, tutors | Comments Off on Stiffening the Backbone

Still Feeling like an Impostor?

Posted on 14 August 2016 by Athene Donald

It’s that feeling you get when your PhD supervisor asks you to give your first conference presentation. Or, at a later career stage, when someone suggests you apply for a fellowship. That feeling they must have got it wrong, you’re … Continue reading →

Posted in Communicating Science, Hugh Kearns, Im[pstor syndrome, Science Culture, Stuart Higgins | Comments Off on Still Feeling like an Impostor?

Playing to Your Strengths

Posted on 10 August 2016 by Athene Donald

With many fresh graduates on the market seeking jobs, the Independent recently ran an article on interview tips. They were at the basic level. Fair enough for those people who’ve never had to endure such an experience before: be on … Continue reading →

Posted in careers, interview panels, job interviews, Science Culture | Comments Off on Playing to Your Strengths

Women on the Platform

Posted on 4 August 2016 by Athene Donald

Too often one hears of — or attends in person — conferences where all (or nearly all) of the invited and keynote speakers are male. It is dispiriting every time one comes across such an occasion. It isn’t as if … Continue reading →

Posted in burden, committees, conference, keynote speaker, Science Culture, Women in science | Comments Off on Women on the Platform

Being Stern about Portability

Posted on 28 July 2016 by Athene Donald

Most people seem to think the Stern Review of the REF (Building on Success and Learning from Experience), published today, has done a fine job, with (if my Twitter stream is to be believed) the exception of the issue of … Continue reading →

Posted in ECRs, Lord Stern, REF, Research, research outputs | Comments Off on Being Stern about Portability