Author Archives: Athene Donald

Historical Female Scientists?

Posted on 11 August 2023 by Athene Donald

One of the aspects of how my book (Not Just for the Boys: Why we need more women in science) has been received which surprises me the most, is the interest shown in the chapter on women who managed to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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What’s Wrong with T Levels?

Posted on 25 July 2023 by Athene Donald

If you are an English reader, reading this blog, the chances are high that you studied (or are studying) A Levels before going to university. Alternative options are available post-16, but they are currently in a state of flux, whether … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in A levels, education, Further Education, Levelling Up, post-16 | Comments Off on What’s Wrong with T Levels?

Bin the Past

Posted on 20 July 2023 by Athene Donald

My last post talked about binning a word, ‘boffin’, but currently I’m literally binning my past. As my former home of the Cavendish Laboratory prepares to move into its shiny new buildings, the Dolby Centre, I need to clear out … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in dark room, Ed Kramer, Research, rubbish, xerox | Comments Off on Bin the Past

Bin the Boffin

Posted on 13 July 2023 by Athene Donald

Speaking personally, I hate the label ‘boffin’. Maybe once upon a time it was seen as a positive, but not any more. The Institute of Physics is running a ‘Ban the Boffin’ campaign, as part of their Limit Less campaign … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in institute of physics, lumpy custard, media, Science Culture, Stereotypes, Women in science | Comments Off on Bin the Boffin

Nerves? We (Nearly) All Have Them

Posted on 25 June 2023 by Athene Donald

Recently I had occasion to watch a young adult preparing to make a presentation. They were incredibly nervous, but when it came to standing in front of the audience little of that was evident. Just a small amount of self-deprecating … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Communicating Science, lectures, questions, Science Culture, seminars, timing | Comments Off on Nerves? We (Nearly) All Have Them

Innovation: New ideas and New people

Posted on 17 June 2023 by Athene Donald

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of delivering a public lecture with the above title in the beautiful interior of Hereford Cathedral. This unusual venue, a wonderful testament to the ingenuity of medieval builders, was chosen by the Engineering … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Engineering Professors Council, Hereford, innovation, Not just for the boys, Science Culture, skills, Women in science | Comments Off on Innovation: New ideas and New people

Pecking Orders Aren’t All They Seem

Posted on 11 June 2023 by Athene Donald

The term, pecking order, may have been coined in relation to poultry, the office boy kicking the cat clearly fits more into the domain of offices, but we all recognize the tendency to know one’s place in a hierarchy and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Cambridge, Dorothy Byrne, heads of house, intimidation, Laurie Bristow, Roger Mosey, Science Culture, Simon McDonald | Comments Off on Pecking Orders Aren’t All They Seem

What Should I Say to my Kids?

Posted on 4 June 2023 by Athene Donald

As well as attending the Hay Literary Festival, I’ve been involved with a number of interviews and podcasts over the last couple of weeks relating to the publication of my book Not Just for the Boys: Why we need more … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in education, Equality, Hay Festival, Maths, parents, School, Women in science | Comments Off on What Should I Say to my Kids?

Not Letting the Bad Guys Win

Posted on 28 May 2023 by Athene Donald

An editorial in Nature this week highlighted the widespread failure of academic institutions to deal with reports of wrongdoing and its consequences, published alongside an extensive set of articles about the problems associated with poor mental health in research labs … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in bullying, misogyny, Science Culture, speaking up, whistleblowing | Comments Off on Not Letting the Bad Guys Win

Anxious Times

Posted on 21 May 2023 by Athene Donald

I can still remember anxiously waiting for my first paper to appear. It must have been in 1976, because I know I had submitted the paper under my married name, although at the time the wedding was still some weeks … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in bookshops, Communicating Science, criticism, Not just for the boys, reviews, Science Culture | Comments Off on Anxious Times