Category Archives: Impostor syndrome

On Being Unnerved – Get out your Velcro

Posted on 29 April 2023 by Athene Donald

Not infrequently I find myself having to give after dinner speeches in my College: to alumni as well as to different parts of the student body. The first time I had to talk to the Freshers, I suspect I was … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in after-dinner speech, criticism, experience, Impostor syndrome, Science Culture | Comments Off on On Being Unnerved – Get out your Velcro

Do You Cope with Office Politics or Leverage them?

Posted on 28 February 2021 by Athene Donald

In academia, appraisals (call them what you will) get different degrees of serious attention. Equally, people pay more or less heed to them, depending on personal circumstances and whether anything useful is said. However, a recent study shows that, as … Continue reading →

Posted in careers, confidence, Equality, feedback, implicit bias, Impostor syndrome, Science Culture, Stereotypes | Comments Off on Do You Cope with Office Politics or Leverage them?

Feeling the Fear

Posted on 6 September 2020 by Athene Donald

Readers of the Guardian may, over the years, have had reason to dip into Oliver Burkeman’s columns. As he hangs up his metaphorical boots, he summarised what he had personally learned from the exercise of writing these ‘self-help’ articles. In … Continue reading →

Posted in growth, Impostor syndrome, Oliver Burkeman, Science Culture, self-confidence | Comments Off on Feeling the Fear

Working From Home

Posted on 28 March 2020 by Athene Donald

Hugh Kearns wrote this week Don’t compare your work output this week with other weeks. These are not normal times so don’t expect your normal output. Things will take longer. There are most disruptions and distractions. It’s hard to focus.

Posted in COVID-19, home-working, Impostor syndrome, Science Culture, technology | Comments Off on Working From Home

Who Do You Think You Are?

Posted on 14 July 2019 by Athene Donald

This is not about the TV programme of the same name. I would not be a good contender for that because, at least on one side of the family, I know quite a lot about my antecedents so I doubt … Continue reading →

Posted in compliments, Impostor syndrome, poise, Science Culture, Women in science | Comments Off on Who Do You Think You Are?

Being Resilient

Posted on 2 December 2018 by Athene Donald

Have a setback, bounce back. That is what all the self-help books would proclaim loud and clear. It applies as much in science as anywhere else, perhaps more so since the setback need not be in one’s career or personal … Continue reading →

Posted in Breakthrough Prize, Impostor syndrome, Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Science Culture, Women in science | Comments Off on Being Resilient

When Should You Say Yes?

Posted on 29 January 2018 by Athene Donald

I am prompted to ask this question by a whole slew of different events and stories this past week. The question is in part a general one about what is good for careers, and in part it reflects gender issues … Continue reading →

Posted in committee work, Impostor syndrome, manel, Science Culture, Women in science | Comments Off on When Should You Say Yes?

Freshers’ Fears

Posted on 22 September 2017 by Athene Donald

Freshers are pouring in to their new universities, finding their way around strange cities, unfamiliar halls of residence, learning the vocabulary of their new alma mater, drinking endless amounts of coffee/tea/beer/wine/shots as they attempt to work out who will be … Continue reading →

Posted in Churchill College, education, Impostor syndrome, Music | Comments Off on Freshers’ Fears

A Tale of Politics, Policy and Nerves

Posted on 6 March 2016 by Athene Donald

Walking in to the Babbage Lecture Theatre in the centre of Cambridge last week took me straight back to what I suspect was the first lecture I ever attended (or should that be endured?) in Cambridge as an undergraduate. I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in Carlos Moedas, Downing Street Declaration, EU, Impostor syndrome, Jo Johnson, Science Culture | Comments Off on A Tale of Politics, Policy and Nerves

Who Isn’t an Impostor?

Posted on 15 September 2014 by Athene Donald

Last week I attended the last day of the British Science Association‘s Festival in Birmingham. There was a real buzz about the place and it had clearly been an extremely successful few days. I enjoyed hearing Ineke de Moortel – … Continue reading →

Posted in British Science Association, Communicating Science, Impostor syndrome, Paul Nurse, Robin Ince, Science Culture, Steve Cross | Comments Off on Who Isn’t an Impostor?