Author Archives: Athene Donald

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

Thinking about the Pipeline

Posted on 8 February 2014 by Athene Donald

A PhD should comprise both education and training. It should not be slave labour or done in blindness about where it might be leading. But I fear these statements don’t always apply. In the research grouping in which I sit … Continue reading →

Posted in Career advice, careers, PhD, Science Funding | Comments Off on Thinking about the Pipeline

Getting Away with It

Posted on 2 February 2014 by Athene Donald

Do you feel this phrase describes you as you go through your professional life? Do you feel as if you’re a fraud and whereas everyone else knows what they are doing or deserve the position they have attained, you don’t? … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, Impostor syndrome, progression, self-confidence, Women in science | Comments Off on Getting Away with It

Winston Churchill and Science

Posted on 29 January 2014 by Athene Donald

Yet another anniversary for Winston Churchill has just past, with the 49th anniversary of his death falling on January 24th. I am, inevitably, more conscious of this than I would have been in times past, but it is interesting to … Continue reading →

Posted in bomb, Frederick Lindemann, HG Wells, History of Science, John Cockcroft | Comments Off on Winston Churchill and Science

The Cost of Speaking Out

Posted on 23 January 2014 by Athene Donald

The press (at least in the UK) has been full of the ‘Lord Rennard’ story this week. A man, hugely influential in building up the success of the LibDems but against whom four women (party activists) have spoken out, saying … Continue reading →

Posted in disclosure, Equality, harassment, Lord Rennard, Women in science | Comments Off on The Cost of Speaking Out

A Pensieve for your Thoughts

Posted on 18 January 2014 by Athene Donald

Last weekend my OT colleague Stephen Curry put up a thoughtful and thought-provoking post reflecting on the shortness of life, where his is going and other angst-inducing topics including obituaries, all provoked by the fact that he was approaching 50. … Continue reading →

Posted in JK Rowling, post-it notes, Science Culture | Comments Off on A Pensieve for your Thoughts