Author Archives: Athene Donald

I Wish I’d Known Then What I Know Now

Posted on 11 February 2015 by Athene Donald

There are many questions which are easily posed, to which I don’t find answers come easily. One of these is ‘who inspired you?’ (answer: no one very obviously); or ‘why did you decide you wanted to study physics?‘ to which … Continue reading →

Posted in Science Culture, self-confidence, skills | Comments Off on I Wish I’d Known Then What I Know Now

Style Matters

Posted on 5 February 2015 by Athene Donald

I was reading a reference recently and I noticed a sentence containing the word ‘responsible’ twice in the same sentence. I stopped reading and reached for the metaphorical red pen. It mattered not a whit in this context, but it … Continue reading →

Posted in Communicating Science, education, Research, style, Thesis, Writing | Comments Off on Style Matters

Stand Up and Be Counted

Posted on 29 January 2015 by Athene Donald

There are times in one’s life when it is important to stand up and be counted. This is a view expressed neatly in a recent blogpost by Hilda Bastian about 7 Tips for Women at Science Conferences  with her sub-heading … Continue reading →

Posted in criticism, Hilda Bastian, Science Culture, support, Thesis Whisperer | Comments Off on Stand Up and Be Counted

Am I a Lady?

Posted on 22 January 2015 by Athene Donald

I am of a generation that was brought up with (though most certainly not to laugh at) the joke ‘That’s no lady, that’s my wife’. Classist overtones? Undoubtedly, as well as inherent sexism: the word ‘lady’ to me is not … Continue reading →

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Science Policy and Impact: Lessons from History

Posted on 16 January 2015 by Athene Donald

REF, the Science and Innovation Strategy document (S+I) and the Nurse Review of the Research Councils  collectively mean that the UK HE world of science is stuffed full of current policy issues that matter to us all – never mind … Continue reading →

Posted in Eight great technologies, History of Science, Royal Society, Science and Innovation strategy, Science Funding, Science policy | Comments Off on Science Policy and Impact: Lessons from History

We’ve Come a Long Way But…

Posted on 11 January 2015 by Athene Donald

When it comes to women in science, the Athena Swan ‘brand’ is well established. By now, universities up and down the country are signed up to the Athena Swan Charter and many departments are seriously engaged with the process. Nevertheless … Continue reading →

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Resolving Your Way out of a Rut

Posted on 3 January 2015 by Athene Donald

I wonder how many of my readers have already broken their New Year’s resolutions, assuming they even bothered to dream them up in the first place. Daily visits to the gym and a diet excluding chocolate sound all very well … Continue reading →

Posted in breathing space, careers, new year resolutions, Science Culture | Comments Off on Resolving Your Way out of a Rut

Losing a Mentor

Posted on 29 December 2014 by Athene Donald

There are usually only a handful of people in anyone’s life who can honestly be said to have had a radical impact on how that life turns out. Yesterday I learned of the death of one of my key mentors, … Continue reading →

Posted in Ed Kramer, inspirational. mentor, polymer science, Research | Comments Off on Losing a Mentor

A Professorial Guide (Updated)

Posted on 23 December 2014 by Athene Donald

In the run up to Christmas I feel I should be posting something light, frothy and cheerful. But somehow a diet of the REF, the Strategy and Innovation review which prompted my last post, as well as more domestic upheavals and … Continue reading →

Posted in departmental committees, professors, Science Culture | Comments Off on A Professorial Guide (Updated)

It’s All about Science Policy this Week: the Good and the Bad

Posted on 18 December 2014 by Athene Donald

There has been much activity on what could loosely be termed ‘Science Policy’ this week, including both the long-awaited/significantly delayed BIS Science and Innovation (S+I) Strategy document (entitled, optimistically ‘Our plan for growth’) and the outcome of the REF2014. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Phd student training, Science Funding, Sir Mark Walport, Sir Paul Nurse, Strategy and Innovation | Comments Off on It’s All about Science Policy this Week: the Good and the Bad