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Author Archives: Athene Donald
Banknote Battles
Last week I declined an invitation to go on Radio 4′s Today programme. I had good reasons for doing this, as I hope I’ll be able to convince you, but I still felt that I was letting the side down … Continue reading
Posted in Bank of England, Doctor Who, Equality, Jane Austen, Radio 4
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Personal Tutors or Personal Responsibility
At every stage of one’s career one needs to know who to turn to for advice. This need doesn’t stop just because one is senior, but probably feels most overwhelming when first setting out. That crucial stage when newly independent, … Continue reading
Posted in advice, career progression, mentors, Science Culture, Universities
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All Male Invited Speakers? It’s Complicated!
Some time ago I wrote about the complexities that may underlie all male short-lists for high-powered jobs. The scientific world is also full of justified angst about the disproportionate number of men who appear on conference platforms, particularly as invited … Continue reading
Posted in all male shortlists, Equality, Hannah Dugdale, invited speakers, Julia Schroeder, Royal Society, Women in science
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Gender Issues in European Academic Science
This week has seen me travelling to Vienna and Bratislava for a meeting of the European Research Council’s Scientific Council. Travelling between the two cities along the Danube by fast boat provided a rare treat of a little relaxation fitted … Continue reading
Posted in DFG, Equality, ERC, Isabelle Vernos, Matthias Kleiner, Women in science
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The Two Opposing Sides of the Desk
At different times in one’s life one is more likely to be an interviewer or an interviewee, but these things are never immutable. As it happens I have been the subject of several interviews recently, something which has made me … Continue reading
Posted in Communicating Science, interviews, Science Culture, The Life Scientific
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Fitting Interpersonal Skills into Academia
There is much talk in higher education about the importance of transferable skills. For a PhD student this means that you receive training in things beyond your own particular field of research. Typically this would include being required to consider … Continue reading
Posted in management style, research student, Schlumberger Faculty of the Future, Science Culture, team building
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Book Prizes, Gender and Personality
The long-list for the Royal Society Winton Book Prize was announced last week which, if the publishers blurbs listed in the write-up in the Guardian are to be believed, represent a real cornucopia of delightful reading. As it happens, I am … Continue reading
Posted in book review, Communicating Science, EO White, Frank Fraser Darling, Peter Hoffman, Royal Society, Tim Birkhead
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Advice from the Great and Good
Not so long ago I stumbled across a very enthusiastic review of a new book by the renowned entomologist EO Wilson. The book was not about ants as such, his speciality, but its content can be deduced from the title: … Continue reading
Posted in advice, book review, career progression, EO Wilson, Peter Medawar, Science Culture
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Impact for Women
Next week I am due to share a platform with Dave Delpy, CEO of the EPSRC amongst others, discussing the ‘Impact of Impact’. This is an event organised by a new student body, the Cambridge University Science and Policy Exchange. … Continue reading
Posted in career progression, child care, Equality, promotion, Science Funding, Women in science
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Muddled Mess or Merely Work in Progress?
What do our surroundings say about us? If we choose to work in an office strewn with bits of paper, open files, journals and other debris, is this a testament to the fact our minds are on higher things and … Continue reading
Posted in desks, offices, REF, Research, Science Culture
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