Author Archives: Athene Donald

Putting a Value on the Intangible

Posted on 8 May 2016 by Athene Donald

Does being around trees make you less stressed? A recent study claims it does and, for many of us, green spaces undoubtedly confer a sense of peace and a place to sit and relax. Do trees confer benefits that can … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, economists, education, gardens, widening participation | Comments Off on Putting a Value on the Intangible

Embedding the People in our Labs

Posted on 3 May 2016 by Athene Donald

Scientists are people, they have emotions and they interact with their peers, their students, their professors….and indeed the public. Sometimes, however, scientists are represented as interacting with little more than glassware or white lab coats. We can be perceived as … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, Hope Jahren, Lab Girl, relationships, Science Culture, students | Comments Off on Embedding the People in our Labs

Culture and Science

Posted on 28 April 2016 by Athene Donald

Culture arguably sits at the centre of our society, but what it means isn’t always clear. To many, too many I would say, it only refers to the ‘arty’ stuff: literature, films, art and music perhaps. That science could be … Continue reading →

Posted in AHRC, Geoff Crossick, Science Culture | Comments Off on Culture and Science

Unravelling Grant Success Rates by Gender

Posted on 22 April 2016 by Athene Donald

I first realised that the problems I was facing might just, possibly, not be down to my own shortcomings when I read the 1999 MIT report on the Status of Women. For the first time it occurred to me that … Continue reading →

Posted in Equality, funders, mentoring, old boys' network, Women in science | Comments Off on Unravelling Grant Success Rates by Gender

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?