Category Archives: Policy

Transferable Skills and Career Paths

Posted on 4 February 2024 by Athene Donald

I am honoured to have been invited to give the Gareth Roberts Lecture in Durham next month (in the Physics Department), following a long line of distinguished speakers. To be honest, I did not know that he had been associated … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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In which climate apocalypse feels inevitable

Posted on 18 July 2022 by Jennifer Rohn

Here in England, we are braced for an historic heat wave. The Met Office has issued its first ever ‘Red Warning of Extreme Heat‘ for much of the UK, with temperatures set to reach a new record of 40 degrees … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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The Meeting of the Ways

Posted on 26 April 2018 by Athene Donald

There are many reasons why people believe – as I do – that interdisciplinarity has to sit at the heart of any research agenda. It does not require that two disciplines bring cutting edge tools and ideas together to create … Continue reading →

Posted in Bennett Institute for Public Policy, Eldar Shafir, Equality, Interdisciplinary Science, Policy, stereotype threat, values affirmation | Comments Off on The Meeting of the Ways

Joining the Dots

Posted on 26 November 2017 by Athene Donald

I’ve been in Paris this weekend, talking to a ‘Global Cambridge‘ event for alumni. Paris is a city of which I am inordinately fond – one of my unfulfilled dreams was to spend a sabbatical in the city so I … Continue reading →

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In which we need more lab coats in the Commons

Posted on 11 September 2014 by Jennifer Rohn

Like many commuters serving as a captive audience on the London Underground, I tend to read the free Evening Standard most nights. I enjoy the op ed pieces by Rosamund Urwin, who has always struck me as both light-hearted and … Continue reading →

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Where’s an Industrial Policy When You Want One?

Posted on 27 November 2013 by Athene Donald

A little while ago I had the pleasure of hosting the visit of Chukka Umunna (Shadow Business Minister)  to the University of Cambridge to discuss the UK’s industrial strategy or, perhaps more accurately, its lack thereof.  Over a sandwich lunch … Continue reading →

Posted in Chuka Umunna, industry, Policy, Richard Jones, Science Culture, Science Funding | Comments Off on Where’s an Industrial Policy When You Want One?

In which science policy suits up

Posted on 12 July 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

What must Britain do to retain its global scientific reputation in a changing world? This evening at the Royal Society, various men of science, industry and politics gave us their opinion (“UK Research: Building Bridges, Building Prosperity”). These included the … Continue reading →

Posted in Policy, Politics, Science Funding, Science Is Vital, The profession of science | Comments Off on In which science policy suits up

In which we look to the horizon: science is more vital than ever

Posted on 19 June 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

When Science Is Vital joined with hundreds of other organizations to successfully fend off threatened cuts to the science budget in 2010, the next Spending Review seemed aeons away. By now, of course, most scientists in Britain have heard the … Continue reading →

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In which the post-doctoral playing field is leveled – in one small corner

Posted on 31 May 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

The British governmental body responsible for funding research and postgraduate training in engineering and the physical sciences, known as the EPSRC, has been getting some bad press recently. But I couldn’t help being impressed by their new fellowship policy, which … Continue reading →

Posted in careers, Policy, The profession of science, Women in science | Comments Off on In which the post-doctoral playing field is leveled – in one small corner

In which science careers get a fair hearing [24]

Posted on 31 October 2011 by Jennifer Rohn

Once again I revisit the question broached by Science is Vital in our recent report Careering Out of Control? A Crisis in UK Science Careers. Last week I participated in a round table discussion about this very issue co-hosted by … Continue reading →

Posted in careers, Policy, Science Funding, Science Is Vital, The profession of science | Comments Off on In which science careers get a fair hearing [24]