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Author Archives: Athene Donald
Real Women, Real Success Stories
I am not in the habit of reposting posts, but the timing of events means that it seems to be timely on this occasion . Last week we had the furore around the EU’s extraordinarily ill-judged video for their website … Continue reading
Posted in #realwomenforscience, Equality, L'Oreal For Women in Science, role models, Women in science
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Comment is Free, but Not Necessarily Sensible
Just as I was leaving my office at the end of last week’s typically frenetic activities, I was caught on the phone with an invitation to write a Comment is Free piece on women in science for last Sunday’s Observer. … Continue reading
Posted in Alice Roberts, Equality, Lesley Yellowlees, Observer, Women in science
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Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost
Last week I spotted these words from Tolkien emblazoned on a poster (indeed several copies) on the walls of the tunnel which joins Imperial College and South Kensington Station. They seemed curiously apposite given what I had just been doing, … Continue reading
Posted in academia, careers, decisions, postdoctoral careers
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Do All Male Shortlists Matter?
I was challenged to write on this topic through Twitter, after Times Higher Education ran a story about the task of finding a new President and Provost to replace Malcolm Grant at UCL. The five names mentioned as ‘figures who … Continue reading
Posted in CSA, Equality, head hunters, positive action, shortlists, Women in science
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Red Ink, Green Ink
Exam marking being much on my mind, as discussed in the last post, I was thinking about the way we annotate the scripts as we mark. The practice I am familiar with (although I have no idea how standard this … Continue reading
Posted in Communicating Science, communication, exams, Thesis, Writing
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How Not to Spend a Bank Holiday
While most of the country is thriving on a diet of bunting, boats on the Thames, nostalgia and street parties, many of us in Cambridge are struggling with more mundane matters. Exams. The University of Cambridge cannot afford, in its … Continue reading
Posted in Cambridge life, education, examinations, marking, practical classes, undergraduates
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Who are You Calling a Geek?
In my last post, I threw out the fact that I didn’t feel the word ‘geek’ was necessarily going to encourage young girls to see science/engineering as a career for them, a point that was picked up both by my … Continue reading
Posted in adolescence, careers, education, Geek Manifesto, Women in science
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A Shocking Waste of Talent
This piece first appeared in Fabiana, the magazine of the Fabian’s Women Network, on May 21st 2012, in an issue devoted to Finding the Way to Growth. The whole issue can be found here. Much has been made of the … Continue reading
Posted in diversity, economy, Equality, Fabiana, innovation, leaky pipeline, Women in science
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On the So-called ‘Death’ of British Science
This week saw the delivery of a funeral wreath and coffin to the Houses of Parliament. Why? Because a new grouping called Science for the Future decided to declare to MP’s the ‘death’ of British science. Actually what they were … Continue reading
Posted in EPSRC, Philip Moriarty, politicians, Science for the Future, Science Funding
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Celebrating Success (Even if Progress is Slow)
Last week (the lack of) women in science actually made it onto BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, when Lesley Yellowlees – President-elect of the Royal Society of Chemistry – spoke out about the lack of women in her own and … Continue reading
Posted in Athena Swan awards. Leeds University, Equality, Lesley Yellowlees, Royal Society, Science Culture, Women in science
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