Author Archives: Athene Donald

Science and Nerves at the BBC

Posted on 6 April 2014 by Athene Donald

Last week you would have found three professors gathered nervously together in the depths of (Old) Broadcasting House waiting for the studio to be ready to air the week’s broadcast of In Our Time. Three professors who had never met … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrea Sella, BBC, Communicating Science, education, In Our Time, Justin Wark, Melvyn Bragg | Comments Off on Science and Nerves at the BBC

On Saying No

Posted on 1 April 2014 by Athene Donald

The comments on my last post have prompted me finally to write this one, one that I have had in mind for a few weeks. In fact, ever since I gave a talk at Merton College, Oxford, when an audience … Continue reading →

Posted in CV, opportunity, Research, Science Culture, Women in science, workload | Comments Off on On Saying No

Living on the Edge of Equilibrium

Posted on 26 March 2014 by Athene Donald

Last week my bike got a puncture. So what, you might ask. In itself this is totally trivial, but it also represents the way the trivial gets in the way of everything else. A puncture for me represents potential disaster. … Continue reading →

Posted in accidents, luck, Science Culture, stress, workload | Comments Off on Living on the Edge of Equilibrium

Considering the Historical Context

Posted on 20 March 2014 by Athene Donald

At a talk I gave in Sheffield last week the local MP Meg Munn remarked on the fact that, being a non-scientist, she had learned a lot about how science is done from reading my blog (in particular this one, … Continue reading →

Posted in History of Science, lectures, Newton, Teaching, Von Guericke | Comments Off on Considering the Historical Context

Getting the Writing Right

Posted on 15 March 2014 by Athene Donald

As one moves through life, there are many different types of writing one needs to master. Schooling may produce a standardised kind of essay which is of only limited use when it comes to writing one’s thesis. Many universities will … Continue reading →

Posted in Communicating Science, references, Science Culture, self-delusion, Thesis | Comments Off on Getting the Writing Right

Virginia Woolf’s Messages for Today

Posted on 8 March 2014 by Athene Donald

Although I read many of her novels as a teenager, I only came to reading Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own somewhat late in life. I have recently reread it. On a second reading I am even more struck … Continue reading →

Posted in A room of one's own, belonging, Equality, independence, International Women's Day, minorities | Comments Off on Virginia Woolf’s Messages for Today

Taking the Chair

Posted on 2 March 2014 by Athene Donald

I was interested to discover recently that candidates for the headship of a certain Cambridge college were required to chair a mock Governing Body meeting (this was not part of my own selection process at Churchill I should say). I … Continue reading →

Posted in bores, committee meetings, Equality, Miss Triggs, Science Culture | Comments Off on Taking the Chair

There’s More to Us than Lab Coats

Posted on 27 February 2014 by Athene Donald

This book review first appeared in Times Higher Education on February 27th 2014 Are We All Scientific Experts Now? By Harry Collins Polity, 168pp, £35.00 and £9.99 ISBN 9780745682037 and 82044 Published 28 February 2014

Posted in book review, expertise, Harry Collins, media, Science policy, science wars | Comments Off on There’s More to Us than Lab Coats

What Does it Take to Get to the Top?

Posted on 20 February 2014 by Athene Donald

Readers of my blog will not need to be reminded that the numbers of women successfully climbing through the ranks to the top of the academic tree are small. The same is true of administrative staff: many women set out, … Continue reading →

Posted in Equality, Meaning of Success, success, women at Cambridge, Women in science | Comments Off on What Does it Take to Get to the Top?

Being Prepared

Posted on 15 February 2014 by Athene Donald

I was a Girl Guide once, briefly, but I don’t think that’s where I learned that it’s wise to travel well supplied. It just seems to come naturally to me to fear the worst and so carry enough on one’s … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, iPad, laptop, luggage, travel | Comments Off on Being Prepared