Author Archives: Athene Donald

Scientific Breadth: The Good and the Bad

Posted on 20 June 2011 by Athene Donald

This week I am giving three different major talks; no, not just ‘different’, utterly and totally different. This is definitely a week of diversity in my powerpoint presentations, though none of them is actually about diversity. Linking in to a … Continue reading →

Posted in career progression, interdisciplinarity, Interdisciplinary Science, promotion, Research, Science Culture | Comments Off on Scientific Breadth: The Good and the Bad

ASSET 2010 – A Metaphorical Call to Arms for HEI’s

Posted on 17 June 2011 by Athene Donald

There is a danger that the message that there is an uneven playing field for women in science (and indeed in many other fields) has been repeated so often that it is no longer heard. However, it is still true. … Continue reading →

Posted in appraisal, ASSET, Equality, promotion, Science Culture, success, Women in science | Comments Off on ASSET 2010 – A Metaphorical Call to Arms for HEI’s

Putting Together and Taking Apart

Posted on 12 June 2011 by Athene Donald

A couple of my recent posts have looked at the needs of postdocs, their training (or lack thereof), aspirations and the need for them to take control of their lives. So it seems appropriate to spare a thought – or … Continue reading →

Posted in conference, graduate student, Interdisciplinary Science, nanotechnology, Research, Science Culture, training | Comments Off on Putting Together and Taking Apart

Unlocking Potential?

Posted on 8 June 2011 by Athene Donald

Today I attended an event at the British Academy to launch a pamphlet produced under the auspices of the Smith Institute, a think tank which promotes progressive policies for a fairer society and named in honour of the former Labour … Continue reading →

Posted in Careers advice, education, Equality, Meg Munn, retaining women, Smith Institute, Women in science | Comments Off on Unlocking Potential?

Unconscious Bias and the Impact on Women entering Science

Posted on 3 June 2011 by Athene Donald

This is text of the talk I gave at the Howthelightgetsin Festival at Hay at the weekend. The talk was misleadingly entitled ‘Saving Science’ by the organisers, trailed as how women can ‘save’ science, but it is really about how … Continue reading →

Posted in Equality, Project Implicit, role models, stereotype threat, Unconscious bias, Women in science | Comments Off on Unconscious Bias and the Impact on Women entering Science

Making Hay

Posted on 31 May 2011 by Athene Donald

You know how it is with buses, you wait for ages and then 3 come along at once. Well that seems to be what has happened with me with debates. Not that I was consciously waiting for them, but certainly … Continue reading →

Posted in Communicating Science, debate, Hay Philosophy Festival, Human enhancement, Mary Warnock | Comments Off on Making Hay

Career Progression and the Research Landscape

Posted on 26 May 2011 by Athene Donald

Career progression for postdocs is a key issue that affects the health of our science base. It formed the basis for a discussion with Science Minister David Willetts at the Royal Institution this week, an event hosted by Evan Harris … Continue reading →

Posted in careers, David Willetts, postdocs, Research, Royal Institution, Science Funding, scienceisvital | Comments Off on Career Progression and the Research Landscape

A Work in Progress

Posted on 18 May 2011 by Athene Donald

No science discipline now can (or should) be seen as a silo, content to keep its boundaries closed against marauders from elsewhere. This is just as true of physics as any of the other sciences. For me, working at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Biological Physics, education, Interdisciplinary Science, IOP, undergraduate teaching | Comments Off on A Work in Progress

Kidding Yourself (The Impact Saga Continues)

Posted on 15 May 2011 by Athene Donald

This weekend I was persuaded by a member of my family to enter a local Parkrun. If, like me, you haven’t come across these before, I should say they offer weekly timed 5k runs at local venues. You just register, … Continue reading →

Posted in aspiration, Communicating Science, education, Outreach, pathways to impact statements, Research, Royal Society, school-teachers, Science Funding | Comments Off on Kidding Yourself (The Impact Saga Continues)