Category Archives: EPSRC

Another Year, Another IWD: What’s Changed?

Posted on 8 March 2025 by Athene Donald

Every year International Women’s Day sparks a momentary bout of reflection about the state of women in our society. The  House of Lords has an annual debate, for instance, this year about women in STEM.  Social media will showcase many … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Barbara Castle, EPSRC, Equal Pay Act, Equality, gender pay gap, Women in science | Leave a comment

Getting Behind Diversity Statistics

Posted on 4 October 2020 by Athene Donald

Earlier this year UKRI published ‘harmonised’ diversity data across all its councils. These did not make for comfortable reading, with attention being particularly focussed on two findings: Female and ethnic minority awardees tend to apply for and win smaller awards: … Continue reading →

Posted in EPSRC, Equality, grant funding, Science Funding, Unconscious bias, Women in science | Comments Off on Getting Behind Diversity Statistics

Worrying about Deserts of Nothingness

Posted on 18 November 2018 by Athene Donald

Recently a website calling itself UKRI Observatory published two blogposts analysing information obtained by them under FoI regarding assessments of EPSRC Centres for Doctoral Training. The point the blogpost was making was that it appeared at first sight that many … Continue reading →

Posted in Centres for Doctoral Training, EPSRC, PhD students, Research, Science Culture, Science Funding, training | Comments Off on Worrying about Deserts of Nothingness

Falling Down the Cracks: The Challenge for Interdisciplinary Science

Posted on 12 September 2012 by Athene Donald

Let’s hear it for interdisciplinary science. Everyone says what a good idea it is. The research councils strategic plans tend to laud it. And yet, and yet….Do they mean it?

Posted in BBSRC, Biological Physics, EPSRC, Interdisciplinary Science, refereeing | Comments Off on Falling Down the Cracks: The Challenge for Interdisciplinary Science

On the So-called ‘Death’ of British Science

Posted on 20 May 2012 by Athene Donald

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 | Comments Off on On the So-called ‘Death’ of British Science

Some Scores are More Equal than Others

Posted on 10 February 2012 by Athene Donald

Having committed to sit on an EPSRC panel for the first time in many years, I had my sights set on a post about the Shared Services Centre of the Research Councils. Clearly this is a popular topic for academics … Continue reading →

Posted in BBSRC, EPSRC, refereeing, Science Culture, Science Funding, SSC | Comments Off on Some Scores are More Equal than Others