Athene Donald
@athenedonald.bsky.social
Retired professor of physics and former Master of Churchill College Cambridge. Interested in science policy, skills, education and EDI issues; author of Not Just for the Boys; blogging at https://occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald/
Pinned
Athene Donald
@athenedonald.bsky.social
· Jul 24
Paperback publication day! Have a good read. Things changing far too slowly for #womeninSTEM
Reflections on a meeting @royalsociety.org on Historical Perspectives of Women in Science. What has changed from the elections of the first women FRSs to now? #womeninSTEM occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Where Were the Women? | Athene Donald's Blog
occamstypewriter.org
November 23, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Reflections on a meeting @royalsociety.org on Historical Perspectives of Women in Science. What has changed from the elections of the first women FRSs to now? #womeninSTEM occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Reposted by Athene Donald
Our newly-launched Science Community Grants, made possible by a generous donation from The Julia Rausing Trust #JuliaRTrust, offer a three-year award to develop sustainable long-term partnerships between clusters of schools and colleges, and STEM professionals: https://bit.ly/4o2y901
November 22, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Our newly-launched Science Community Grants, made possible by a generous donation from The Julia Rausing Trust #JuliaRTrust, offer a three-year award to develop sustainable long-term partnerships between clusters of schools and colleges, and STEM professionals: https://bit.ly/4o2y901
Reposted by Athene Donald
UK Science in a post-liberal world - a blogpost
I argue that a multi-decade period of consensus in UK science policy is likely soon to come to an end.
We must respond to a new focus on re-building, re-energising, re-arming and re-industrialising for a changed & hostile world
softmachines.org?p=3192
I argue that a multi-decade period of consensus in UK science policy is likely soon to come to an end.
We must respond to a new focus on re-building, re-energising, re-arming and re-industrialising for a changed & hostile world
softmachines.org?p=3192
UK Science in a post-liberal world – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones
softmachines.org
November 21, 2025 at 9:18 PM
UK Science in a post-liberal world - a blogpost
I argue that a multi-decade period of consensus in UK science policy is likely soon to come to an end.
We must respond to a new focus on re-building, re-energising, re-arming and re-industrialising for a changed & hostile world
softmachines.org?p=3192
I argue that a multi-decade period of consensus in UK science policy is likely soon to come to an end.
We must respond to a new focus on re-building, re-energising, re-arming and re-industrialising for a changed & hostile world
softmachines.org?p=3192
The importance of the departmental tea room where you can bump into anyone ....the importance of hearing diverse views. Today's post: The Importance of Community occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
The Importance of Community | Athene Donald's Blog
occamstypewriter.org
November 16, 2025 at 8:30 PM
The importance of the departmental tea room where you can bump into anyone ....the importance of hearing diverse views. Today's post: The Importance of Community occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
The importance of getting away from your screen and talking to other people: The Sense of Community (with thanks to @andrewmaynard.net for stimulating this post) occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
The Importance of Community | Athene Donald's Blog
occamstypewriter.org
November 16, 2025 at 10:19 AM
The importance of getting away from your screen and talking to other people: The Sense of Community (with thanks to @andrewmaynard.net for stimulating this post) occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Reposted by Athene Donald
Is AI making job recruitment less meritocratic? We're getting some v interesting research studies on this question now, and the news is... not good. @jburnmurdoch.ft.com & I dive in, in the latest edition of our newsletter The AI Shift www.ft.com/content/e5b7...
November 14, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Is AI making job recruitment less meritocratic? We're getting some v interesting research studies on this question now, and the news is... not good. @jburnmurdoch.ft.com & I dive in, in the latest edition of our newsletter The AI Shift www.ft.com/content/e5b7...
Reposted by Athene Donald
Read the full letter from ten Fellows of the Royal Society to the Prime Minister, following the announcement of the outcome of the Curriculum and Assessment Review last week: royalsociety.org/news/2025/11...
November 10, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Read the full letter from ten Fellows of the Royal Society to the Prime Minister, following the announcement of the outcome of the Curriculum and Assessment Review last week: royalsociety.org/news/2025/11...
Practical science at school is really important for developing curiosity as well as examinable skills! Reflections on last week's workshop @royalsociety.org occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Being Practical (Or Not) | Athene Donald's Blog
occamstypewriter.org
November 10, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Practical science at school is really important for developing curiosity as well as examinable skills! Reflections on last week's workshop @royalsociety.org occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Reflections on the importance of science practicals now and the messes I made of my own school practicals. Now with a 'hair-raising' comment from @jane-bernal.bsky.social, a near contemporary at my school occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Being Practical (Or Not) | Athene Donald's Blog
occamstypewriter.org
November 9, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Reflections on the importance of science practicals now and the messes I made of my own school practicals. Now with a 'hair-raising' comment from @jane-bernal.bsky.social, a near contemporary at my school occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Reposted by Athene Donald
Great blog by Athene Donald on how doing experiments at school can turn children on to science. Also, in passing, the joys of Nuffield Physics A Level & particularly the first module in which The New Science of Strong Materials was required reading.
November 9, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Great blog by Athene Donald on how doing experiments at school can turn children on to science. Also, in passing, the joys of Nuffield Physics A Level & particularly the first module in which The New Science of Strong Materials was required reading.
On the joys, challenges and importance of school science practical work, something the recent Curriculum and Assessment Review barely touched on occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Being Practical (Or Not) | Athene Donald's Blog
occamstypewriter.org
November 9, 2025 at 11:01 AM
On the joys, challenges and importance of school science practical work, something the recent Curriculum and Assessment Review barely touched on occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Reposted by Athene Donald
Britain’s top scientists have written to the PM warning that the education system is holding back children and the country and expressing concern about the timidity of the government’s curriculum and assessment review @theobserveruk.bsky.social observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
Broken education system is holding back the young, top scientists warn PM | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 9, 2025 at 8:07 AM
Britain’s top scientists have written to the PM warning that the education system is holding back children and the country and expressing concern about the timidity of the government’s curriculum and assessment review @theobserveruk.bsky.social observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
Do economists value women's unpaid labour in the home appropriately? A review of three books about economics points to a' need to rethink social and economic structures with care in mind'. www.ft.com/content/f646...
What we still get wrong about women’s role in global economics
From the Enlightenment to today’s ‘tradwives’, three books look at the tension between production and reproduction
www.ft.com
November 9, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Do economists value women's unpaid labour in the home appropriately? A review of three books about economics points to a' need to rethink social and economic structures with care in mind'. www.ft.com/content/f646...
Reposted by Athene Donald
13 East Anglian are among the most deprived. Every one lies on the coast.
Jaywick, the most deprived is represented by a very wealthy MP. As a community it's residents report a good quality of life.
Jaywick, the most deprived is represented by a very wealthy MP. As a community it's residents report a good quality of life.
East Anglia: home to the richest and poorest
The Office for National Statistics has just published a report on deprivation in communities across England. What does it tell us about our deeply divided region?
eastangliabylines.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 8:03 AM
13 East Anglian are among the most deprived. Every one lies on the coast.
Jaywick, the most deprived is represented by a very wealthy MP. As a community it's residents report a good quality of life.
Jaywick, the most deprived is represented by a very wealthy MP. As a community it's residents report a good quality of life.
Today is Lise Meitner's birthday, as well as Marie Curie. I wrote this blogpost about Meitner and her life a while back. Let's celebrate the woman who 'never lost her humanity'. occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Zombies and Narratives | Athene Donald's Blog
occamstypewriter.org
November 7, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Today is Lise Meitner's birthday, as well as Marie Curie. I wrote this blogpost about Meitner and her life a while back. Let's celebrate the woman who 'never lost her humanity'. occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Reposted by Athene Donald
In honor of the upcoming #WomenInPhysics Day, let's create a thread of amazing women physicists. I'll start with one my favorites, Chien-Shiung Wu, who is best known for conducting the Wu experiment, which proved that parity is not conserved. ⚛️ 🧪 👩🔬 🎢
November 4, 2025 at 10:54 PM
In honor of the upcoming #WomenInPhysics Day, let's create a thread of amazing women physicists. I'll start with one my favorites, Chien-Shiung Wu, who is best known for conducting the Wu experiment, which proved that parity is not conserved. ⚛️ 🧪 👩🔬 🎢
Reposted by Athene Donald
Dear Physicists and Physics fans,
I would like to encourage you to celebrate #WomenInPhysics Day this Friday, November 7th.
Why November 7th? Because it is the birthday of two of the most impactful women physicists of the 1900's: Marie Curie and Lise Meitner. 🎢 ⚛️ 🧪 👩🔬
I would like to encourage you to celebrate #WomenInPhysics Day this Friday, November 7th.
Why November 7th? Because it is the birthday of two of the most impactful women physicists of the 1900's: Marie Curie and Lise Meitner. 🎢 ⚛️ 🧪 👩🔬
November 3, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Dear Physicists and Physics fans,
I would like to encourage you to celebrate #WomenInPhysics Day this Friday, November 7th.
Why November 7th? Because it is the birthday of two of the most impactful women physicists of the 1900's: Marie Curie and Lise Meitner. 🎢 ⚛️ 🧪 👩🔬
I would like to encourage you to celebrate #WomenInPhysics Day this Friday, November 7th.
Why November 7th? Because it is the birthday of two of the most impactful women physicists of the 1900's: Marie Curie and Lise Meitner. 🎢 ⚛️ 🧪 👩🔬
I've been reading @andrewmaynard.net and Jeffrey Abbott's book on AI and the Art of Being Human. It prompted me to question myself about what makes me human occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Is That What Makes Me Human? | Athene Donald's Blog
occamstypewriter.org
November 3, 2025 at 8:26 AM
I've been reading @andrewmaynard.net and Jeffrey Abbott's book on AI and the Art of Being Human. It prompted me to question myself about what makes me human occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
I've been reading Jeffrey Abbott and Andrew Maynard's book AI and the Art of Being Human. It's prompted some self-reflection. Is that what makes me human? occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Is That What Makes Me Human? | Athene Donald's Blog
occamstypewriter.org
November 2, 2025 at 10:29 AM
I've been reading Jeffrey Abbott and Andrew Maynard's book AI and the Art of Being Human. It's prompted some self-reflection. Is that what makes me human? occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Reposted by Athene Donald
For 61 years the #BBCWorldService has been broadcasting the latest in science via its weekly Science in Action programme. That dies in the next half hour, with this final edition, reflecting on the fall in trust in expertise driven by malign interests over recent years.
October 30, 2025 at 8:20 PM
For 61 years the #BBCWorldService has been broadcasting the latest in science via its weekly Science in Action programme. That dies in the next half hour, with this final edition, reflecting on the fall in trust in expertise driven by malign interests over recent years.
Striking, if slightly threatening light in Cambridge this evening
October 29, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Striking, if slightly threatening light in Cambridge this evening
In a week of big announcements for the OxCam corridor and Cambridge specifically including an Innovation Hub, the University of Cambridge has also published its Civic Framework, setting out its responsibilities and priorities occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Civic Responsibilities | Athene Donald's Blog
occamstypewriter.org
October 26, 2025 at 8:01 PM
In a week of big announcements for the OxCam corridor and Cambridge specifically including an Innovation Hub, the University of Cambridge has also published its Civic Framework, setting out its responsibilities and priorities occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
There were many important announcements for the Cambridge region this week, discussed at Thursday's Innovate Cambridge summit and more widely. I consider @cam.ac.uk's Civic Responsibilities and plans occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Civic Responsibilities | Athene Donald's Blog
occamstypewriter.org
October 26, 2025 at 11:24 AM
There were many important announcements for the Cambridge region this week, discussed at Thursday's Innovate Cambridge summit and more widely. I consider @cam.ac.uk's Civic Responsibilities and plans occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald...
Great day at Innovate Cambridge Summit. 2 ministers to talk about funding for OxCam Corridor and fascinating presentations and panel discussions
October 23, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Great day at Innovate Cambridge Summit. 2 ministers to talk about funding for OxCam Corridor and fascinating presentations and panel discussions
Reposted by Athene Donald
Coming up: Mon. Oct. 27 ~ 3pm ET /7pm UK
"On the Marginalisation of Women in #Philosophy and #Science"
Join Athene Donald, Francesca Peacock, & Jennifer Park in conversation with Peter West on how and why women were were excluded from these disciplines.
www.tickettailor.com/events/theph...
"On the Marginalisation of Women in #Philosophy and #Science"
Join Athene Donald, Francesca Peacock, & Jennifer Park in conversation with Peter West on how and why women were were excluded from these disciplines.
www.tickettailor.com/events/theph...
Select tickets – "On the Marginalisation of Women in Philosophy & Science": Athene Donald, Francesca Peacock & Jennifer Park with P. West – Zoom
"On the Marginalisation of Women in Philosophy & Science": Athene Donald, Francesca Peacock & Jennifer Park with P. West – Zoom, Mon 27 Oct 2025 - This event will focus on the historical marginalisati...
www.tickettailor.com
October 22, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Coming up: Mon. Oct. 27 ~ 3pm ET /7pm UK
"On the Marginalisation of Women in #Philosophy and #Science"
Join Athene Donald, Francesca Peacock, & Jennifer Park in conversation with Peter West on how and why women were were excluded from these disciplines.
www.tickettailor.com/events/theph...
"On the Marginalisation of Women in #Philosophy and #Science"
Join Athene Donald, Francesca Peacock, & Jennifer Park in conversation with Peter West on how and why women were were excluded from these disciplines.
www.tickettailor.com/events/theph...