Author Archives: Athene Donald

Mrs Handley and the Whippets (Learning to be Difficult)

No, not the name of a pop-group (although it might be quite a good one), but an episode from my early life. In later life I’m sure people had me in the category of those difficult women I wrote about … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Camden School for Girls, careers, feisty, teenagers, Women in science | Comments Off on Mrs Handley and the Whippets (Learning to be Difficult)

Difficult Women

Tributes poured in following the death of Jane Goodall, with stories of her remarkable life and doings, the way she set out new paths in research and lived a different kind of life. The quoted remark of hers that most … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Equality, feisty, Jane Goodall, Jess Phillips, Lisa Jardine, Women in science | Comments Off on Difficult Women

Being WISE

When I set off for University, I wasn’t surprised to find there weren’t many women on my course: there were only three Cambridge colleges that admitted women back then (i.e. no coeducational colleges at all), so of course I would … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in careers, Lily Davies-Dobbs, Lucy Davies, Mamta Singhal, toxic cultures, Women in science, Women in Science and Engineering | Comments Off on Being WISE

Honouring Sir Richard Friend

I’m essentially a year into retirement and, being the age I am, it is not surprising that I get invited to attend other people’s retirement celebrations. Of course, not all academics want such an event in their honour, and for … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in bullying, device physics, mentorship, Research, Science Culture | Comments Off on Honouring Sir Richard Friend

Science Education, Disadvantage and Teacher Burn-out

While we wait for the Schools White Paper and the report of the Curriculum and Assessment Review, other bodies have been busy, reporting specifically on the state of science education in (predominantly) English schools. Over the last few months, both … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in careers, Combined Science, Combined Science GCSE, education, institute of physics, teacher retention | Comments Off on Science Education, Disadvantage and Teacher Burn-out

Can the Civil Society Covenant Work?

This past week I attended what struck me as an extraordinary event. Held at the Science Museum in London, it brought together multiple ministers and Secretaries of State plus many senior representatives of the Voluntary Sector/Civil Society organisations, plus some … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Equality, Jess Phillips, Opportunity for All, Prime Minister | Comments Off on Can the Civil Society Covenant Work?

Upping the Engineering Talent Pipeline

The Government’s recently published Modern Industrial Strategy has a lot to say about skills. For instance, it commits to ‘enhance skills and increase access to talent by reforming the skills and employment support system to create a strong pipeline into … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in careers, education, Lifelong learning entitlement, Skills England, stereotyping, T Levels | Comments Off on Upping the Engineering Talent Pipeline

Atomic Human – or Atomic Man?

I’m not convinced by the idea of AI throwing everyone out of jobs or taking over the world, but I thought I should read up some thoughtful writing on the subject, so I turned to Neil Lawrence’s 2024 book (recently … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in AI, Equality, Katherine Blodgett, Neil Lawrence, Women in science | Comments Off on Atomic Human – or Atomic Man?

Skills, What Skills?

The answer to many of today’s problems seems to lie in the magic word ‘skills’, but this word can be used to mean so many different things, depending on audience and context, that in itself it is far from sufficient … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Alison Wolf, apprenticeships, careers, education, FE Colleges, Growth and Skills Levy | Comments Off on Skills, What Skills?

Choosing Your Image

We all know people who seem quintessentially comfortable in their own skins, who effortlessly fit in to whatever group they want to belong to and reign supreme in their world (at least socially). But, note my use of the word … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in covering, fitting in, Science Culture, self-confidence, Simon Fanshawe | Comments Off on Choosing Your Image