Latest posts

Cold-calling in the Job Market

Posted on 13 October 2013 by Athene Donald

A week ago there was a minute cause for celebration with the news that the number of women on FTSE100 Boards of Directors had reached the stunning level of 19%. At least that figure is heading in the right direction and, although I am opposed to quotas, the threat of their introduction still hangs over the City.  (In case you’ve forgotten, th Continue reading →

Posted in careers, confidence, Equality, gender pay gap, head hunters | Comments Off on Cold-calling in the Job Market

Attack Budgies: leaks from the secret labs of GrrlScientist

Posted on 11 October 2013 by Bob O'H

This morning I was gravely offended by being described as an “attack parrot”. The offender’s mitigation was that he had originally wanted to call me an “attack budgie”, but had refrained, presumably because he thought an attack budgie sounded less threatening.

Now, it’s little known but a few years ago GrrlScient Continue reading →

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Three Steps to Heaven, Mk II

Posted on 10 October 2013 by rpg

You may remember that two years ago, after much nudging, I created and published a guide for corporate twits. I haven’t tweeted in a corporate capacity since, although I have remained responsible for more ‘serious’ accounts than my personal one, including @LabLit and @ScienceisVital.

Something came into my twitter stream yesterday Continue reading →

Posted in internet, twitter, you | Comments Off on Three Steps to Heaven, Mk II

Book prizes

Posted on 8 October 2013 by Frank Norman

Book prize season is upon us. Prizes can be controversial things and there is often a dollop of subjectivity in the decision-making, but book prize shortlists can be useful for the lazy person (like me) as they offer a suggested reading-list. Recent scientific book prize shortlists have some good pickings for the scientific bookworm.

The Royal Soci Continue reading →

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Dogsplaining #6

Posted on 8 October 2013 by Henry Gee

Using only her eyebrows, Heidi the dog explains the causes, consequences and possible routes towards resolution of the US federal government shutdown.
IMG_6965

Posted in heidi the dog, heidi the golden retriever, shutdown, Silliness | Comments Off on Dogsplaining #6

Turning the Mirror on Oneself

Posted on 8 October 2013 by Athene Donald

What do you see when you look in the mirror? This is the question underlying the What I See Project, conceived by Edwina Dunn. Her concern is that we live in a society where, for many women, when we look in the mirror we are expected to look at – and even more and worse, be judged by – the superficial details, not what resides within. For young wom Continue reading →

Posted in Edwina Dunn, Equality, Frances Ashcroft, mirror, Selwyn College, What I See project, Women in science | Comments Off on Turning the Mirror on Oneself

Social

Posted on 8 October 2013 by Henry Gee

Authors differ in their attitudes to social media. Some keep well away. Others embrace it.

I became switched on to the possibilities of social media after going to a panel at a conference at which Rebecca Skloot, author of the very wonderful The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, was a participant. Continue reading →

Posted in Books, fifty shades, harry potter, j k rowling, reading and writing, rebecca skloot, social media, The Accidental Species, the immortal life of henrietta lacks, university of chicago press, Writing & Reading | Comments Off on Social

Another New Beginning

Posted on 3 October 2013 by Richard Wintle

I sense a theme.

Henry’s just posted about the arrival of his new book, and Richard about that of his and Jenny’s new son. Athene’s Moving on to Pastures New and its companion, Moving On (Part II) are similarly about change. Going back a few more weeks, we find Jenny picking up her lab and moving it. Continue reading →

Posted in laboratory, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, PGCRL, Photography, Research, science, work | Comments Off on Another New Beginning

Gove

Posted on 3 October 2013 by Henry Gee

Today is National Poetry Day. Fellow Occam’s Typist Professor S. C. of London, learning that it was not, as he had thought, World Poetry Day (this happened in March), wondered whether it would therefore not be meet to celebrate the works of his favourite poets, Yeats, and Heaney, who were Irishmen. Well, as a child of Jewish immigrants about Continue reading →

Posted in hilaire belloc, michael gove, national poetry day, Politicrox, Silliness, Writing & Reading | Comments Off on Gove

Moving On (Part II)

Posted on 3 October 2013 by Athene Donald

As readers will know, improving the situation for women in science is dear to my heart. One of the roles in which I’ve been able to make some sort of a contribution has been through chairing the Athena Forum. This group was set up in 2008 as a successor to the Athena Project, which kickstarted the whole Athena Swan process. The Athena Forum i Continue reading →

Posted in Athena Forum, Athena Swan, Equality, pregnancy, Women in science | Comments Off on Moving On (Part II)