RIP Desmond Morris. An ever present zoologist on TV during my youth, I was lucky enough to attend his 1964 Lectures at the Royal Institution on Animal Behaviour. Totally memorable and impressive www.theguardian.com/culture/2026...
Academia has its fair share of difficult people as well as difficult environments, quite apart from difficult research. It's not always easy to know when to persist, when to be obstinate and how to set up red lines. I know. I've tried to work this out occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Delighted to see the return of Erasmus+. Can be brilliant for students who study abroad, particulary if in a very different culture or language www.gov.uk/government/n...
"Decades of research show resilience is a dynamic process," writes Keith M. Bellizzi. "It’s shaped by the small, everyday decisions and adjustments individuals make as they adapt to significant adversity." @theconversation.com
"Bouncing back" is a myth.
theconversation.com/bouncing-bac...
When chairing a committee make sure all members are listened to and valued. That also means knowing how to do the tricky thing of curtailing the loudest, most bullish, single-agenda, or ramble-on voices.
When minorities are hustled onto a committee then ignored everyone and the process lose out.
Being asked to talk about my 'leadership journey' to some mid-career academics has made me reconsider what it takes, for instance, to be as good a committee chair as possible. My relfections on the task occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Useful advice for academics, as ever
As I prepare a talk for mid-career academics about my 'leadership journey' I contemplate the potential pitfalls of chairing committees #edusky occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Applications open for Lords Social Mobility Work Experience Programme 9 April 2026
Great opportunity for year 12 students to do work experience at the House of Lords. Apply by 22 April
www.parliament.uk/business/new...
We're happy that our film, The ethical science of Kathleen Lonsdale, has been nominated for a Webby Award. The film features Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell FRS as they explore Lonsdale's life and legacy. Vote for our film now. #WomenInSTEM https://bit.ly/4sWuSCJ
She's my old boss but this really is a very good article on the rudderlessness of UK tech strategy by Chi Onwurah, who now chairs the commons select committee. American Big Tech, and China, are making hay while DSIT dithers. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
What is equity for women's education around the world look like? Or how far have we got in the UK? Some reflections on a couple of recent @royalsociety.org conferences occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Women managers take abuse allegations more seriously than men. Does that surprise me? Sadly, not really www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...
She’s clearly really interested in vision, light etc (as with Eye of the Beholder) - I associate Sacks with his book on migraine and visual disturbances, which resonated painfully
Interesting stuff. Must seek out Richard’s new book. I’ve just been (re)reading Laura Snyder’s book The Philosophical Breakfast Club, which explores some of the same network but focussed round the scientists eg Herschel and Cameron. Fascinating period
Looking forward to a lively day of discussion at this year’s @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk conference
Women In Tech Taskforce are seeking evidence on the interventions needed to help build a tech sector that works for everyone. (I'm late to this but important to spread the word) #womeninstem #womenintech www.gov.uk/government/c...
A Kerfuffle … UK research funding (and in defence of Sir Ian Chapman) ... by @profserious.bsky.social profserious.substack.com/p/a-kerfuffle
🚨 We're looking for a new Project Archivist 🚨The main objective of the project is to catalogue the papers of Harriet Harman. [Full time, 2 years fixed contract]
The deadline for applications is 3 April 2026 with interviews planning to be on the 14 April 2026
buff.ly/mhMCz8E
Striking chart on the gender skew among AI researchers. In academia, the number of top AI scientists who are women has been growing slowly. In the private sector? Not so much.
(chart from this vg paper from Uni of Chicago bfi.uchicago.edu/working-pape...)
Watch the new film from Royal Society about the story of Hertha Ayrton, the first woman to be nominated for election to the Royal Society #womeinstem www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahLt...
Some thoughts on what can go wrong when unintended consequences come into play. It happens at all levels, as the world makes plain currently, but also impacts on leadership and us as individuals in the lab or business occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Today I recall some of the messages from last week's Royal Society meeting: Women and the Future of Science. I also note consequences of ill thought through actions in today's world. In science, damage may be more limited, but unintended consequences still apply occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Palantir CEO promises that his technology will reduce educated women's economic and political power newrepublic.com/post/207693/...
Back at @royalsociety.org for day 2 future of #womeninstem starting with inclusive leadership. So important!
And here’s a different take on paths for #womeninstem
At @royalsocietyfor 1st day of meeting: Women and the Future of Science. Stimulating and provoking talks so far. 11/2 days more to go. I wrote this thought piece as framing to the meeting #womeninstem
Happy #IWD26! A day to celebrate #womeninstem past and present. Today's post discusses one from the past who did so much for chemistry education in Cambridge at the end of the 19th century. We should not forget thse pioneers. occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
With 80 years since Kathleen Lonsdale FRS and Marjory Stephenson FRS were elected to our Fellowship, Professor Dame Athene Donald FRS looks at the progress since 1945, and what we need to do to keep moving forward. #IWD2026 royalsociety.org/blog/2026/03/looking-bac...