Author Archives: Athene Donald

RIP Sir David MacKay

Posted on 16 April 2016 by Athene Donald

Many people have been paying tribute to David MacKay, who died on Thursday, and I would like to add my own voice. He was an extraordinary man who contributed so much to physics and wider societal issues during his tragically … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, Cavendish Laboratory, DECC, energy production, Sustainable Energy | Comments Off on RIP Sir David MacKay

What have I got to Lose?

Posted on 11 April 2016 by Athene Donald

‘Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose’ sang Janis Joplin, and working out what – if anything – there is to lose in general is frequently a good strategy. This was brought home to me recently in discussing … Continue reading →

Posted in careers, decision, opportunity, risk, Science Culture | Comments Off on What have I got to Lose?

Heroines We Still Need

Posted on 7 April 2016 by Athene Donald

I have not been able to think much about blogging recently due to a variety of factors culminating in the wedding last weekend of my daughter. Not that I had much to do with the organisation of the wedding but … Continue reading →

Posted in biography, Florence Nightingale, Mark Bostridge, statistics, Vera Brittain, Women in science | Comments Off on Heroines We Still Need

What Works: A Review

Posted on 3 April 2016 by Athene Donald

My review of What Works Gender Equality by Design by Iris Bohnet can be found at Nature. This is a book that  is intended to be a guide to institutional action. I was somewhat underwhelmed, as my review makes plain. … Continue reading →

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Manifesto for Change

Posted on 28 March 2016 by Athene Donald

‘Science needs women’ proclaims the L’Oreal/UNESCO For Women in Science awards tagline. For the last 18 years the pairing has been awarding five laureates to women from different geographical regions around the world each year to celebrate (and publicise) their success. … Continue reading →

Posted in Charlotte Proudman, discrimination, Equality, L'Oreal For Women in Science, sexism, Women in science | Comments Off on Manifesto for Change

Who Do You Care For?

Posted on 21 March 2016 by Athene Donald

The challenges associated with parental responsibilities are obvious and much-discussed. For many scientists they can seem overwhelming, limiting and sometimes ultimately career-destroying. The recent booklet published by the Royal Society (Parent Carer Scientist) that I wrote about before, attempts to … Continue reading →

Posted in caring, elder care, Equality, health, parents, Science Culture | Comments Off on Who Do You Care For?

How Not to Chair a Committee

Posted on 15 March 2016 by Athene Donald

Whether as a student or a professor (or indeed at any level in between) I would suspect there isn’t a reader of this blog who hasn’t had to sit through a meeting of some type or other where the Chair … Continue reading →

Posted in committee meetings, incompetence, Science Culture, sexism | Comments Off on How Not to Chair a Committee

Dare to Dream: Parent Carer Scientist

Posted on 10 March 2016 by Athene Donald

This post first appeared here on the Huffington Post on 9th March 2016. ‘Science Needs Women’ says L’Oreal’s tagline succinctly for its For Women in Science Campaign. Science needs women to ensure the best science is done by the most … Continue reading →

Posted in careers, Equality, parents, Royal Society, Women in science | Comments Off on Dare to Dream: Parent Carer Scientist

A Tale of Politics, Policy and Nerves

Posted on 6 March 2016 by Athene Donald

Walking in to the Babbage Lecture Theatre in the centre of Cambridge last week took me straight back to what I suspect was the first lecture I ever attended (or should that be endured?) in Cambridge as an undergraduate. I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in Carlos Moedas, Downing Street Declaration, EU, Impostor syndrome, Jo Johnson, Science Culture | Comments Off on A Tale of Politics, Policy and Nerves

National Academies and the Gender Mix Around the World

Posted on 1 March 2016 by Athene Donald

National academies of science serve a variety of purposes including recognizing the country’s eminent scientists and providing an impartial (usually) voice to government and other policy makers. If this voice is to be truly representative it needs to be inclusive. … Continue reading →

Posted in Equality, Interacademies Partnership, national academies, Rosalind Franklin, Royal Society, Women in science | Comments Off on National Academies and the Gender Mix Around the World