Category Archives: Brexit

It’s Not My Brexit Either

Posted on 2 February 2020 by Athene Donald

I am trying to decide whether to remove the Twitter ‘Scientists for the EU’ twibbon from my profile. I still am a scientist and I’m still pro EU, but there’s no longer quite the same message to be conveyed. Fellow … Continue reading →

Posted in ARPA, Brexit, ERC, EU, Science Funding | Comments Off on It’s Not My Brexit Either

Red Lines Don’t Need to be Political

Posted on 8 September 2019 by Athene Donald

Despite the introductory couple of paragraphs, this is not meant as a political diatribe….it’s just hard to avoid parliamentary affairs currently. I did foreswear following Brexit news for several months after the last deadline in the spring for the sake … Continue reading →

Posted in Brexit, negotiation, resources, Science Culture, space | Comments Off on Red Lines Don’t Need to be Political

Leadership for Our Times

Posted on 27 March 2019 by Athene Donald

Much has been made recently of Theresa May’s leadership, or rather the lack of it. It reminds me how when I first took up the reins at Churchill College, several people told me the story of an earlier Master, William … Continue reading →

Posted in Brexit, John Bercow, Microcosmographia Academica, Prime Minister, Science Culture | Comments Off on Leadership for Our Times

A Bad Week to be in Brussels

Posted on 16 December 2018 by Athene Donald

Historians of the future will no doubt make much of the UK’s political ramifications of the moment. This week has seen a particularly strange spectacle as the Tory party tears itself apart and the Labour party seems unable to sort … Continue reading →

Posted in Brexit, ERC, ERC Scientific Council, Science Funding | Comments Off on A Bad Week to be in Brussels

What do We Lose if We Lose Access to the ERC?

Posted on 9 February 2018 by Athene Donald

This week I was in Brussels in my capacity as a Scientific Council Member of the European Research Council. One of the roles we are all expected to fulfil from time to time is as observer of the various panels … Continue reading →

Posted in Brexit, Brussels, Research Councils, Science Funding, Unconscious bias | Comments Off on What do We Lose if We Lose Access to the ERC?

Higher Education Through the Looking Glass

Posted on 29 October 2017 by Athene Donald

I feel as if the Higher Education sector has somehow stepped through Alice’s mirror. Everything is topsy-turvy and has been for some time.  It is hard to know where the next attack will come from. Labour peer Lord Adonis started … Continue reading →

Posted in Brexit, Daily Mail, David Lammy, Festival of Ideas, Research, Science Funding | Comments Off on Higher Education Through the Looking Glass

European Reflections from Padua

Posted on 27 April 2017 by Athene Donald

The ERC (European Research Council) last month celebrated its 10th Anniversary. Judging by the speeches and conversations on the day, ranging from  Commissioner Moedas and President Juncker to the ERC’s many grantees, it seems to be widely considered as rapidly … Continue reading →

Posted in Brexit, Elena Piscopia, ERC, Science Culture, Science Funding, William Harvey | Comments Off on European Reflections from Padua

Back in the USSR

Posted on 30 March 2017 by rpg

Last time I was here, I made a comment about how I hoped things were going to get less busy. Yeah… that didn’t work out too well.

Posted in Brexit, Me, Nonsense, personal, Spring, Washington, work | Comments Off on Back in the USSR

Grim resolve at the House of Commons on the scientific priorities for Brexit

Posted on 24 March 2017 by Stephen

On Tuesday morning last week MPs, MEPs, and representatives of various organisations with a stake in post-Brexit UK science gathered in the Churchill Committee room at the House of Commons for the launch of  the “Scientific priorities for Brexit” report, … Continue reading →

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Sanexit would make Brexit look like child’s play

Posted on 4 September 2016 by Steve Caplan

For months I have been avoiding a critical civic duty, and have abstained from writing about the political situation in the US. Not from a lack of conviction or interest in the situation. No, I find myself obsessed with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Brexit, Clinton, conspiracy, Democrats, insults, president, presidential elections, Republicans, Sanexit, Trump, tweet, US elections | Comments Off on Sanexit would make Brexit look like child’s play