Athene Donald
Encyclopedia
Dame Athene Margaret Donald, DBE
, FRS
(born 15 May 1953) is a distinguished British physicist
. She is Professor of Experimental Physics in the University of Cambridge
's Department of Physics, and a member of the University Council.
After undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Cambridge, she worked at Cornell University
as a postdoctoral associate, before returning to Cambridge in 1981 and to the Cavendish Laboratory
in 1983. She became Professor of Experimental Physics in 1998.
Her major domain of study is soft matter physics, particularly its applications to living organisms and the relationship between structure and other properties. Her research has applied microscopy, and in particular Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy to the study of both synthetic and biological systems, notably protein aggregation.
She is a fellow of Robinson College, director of WiSETI, the University's Women in Science, Engineering and Technology Initiative, and the University's Gender Equality Champion. Outside the University, she chairs the Athena Forum, an organisation which aims to to provide a strategic oversight of developments that seek to, or have proven to, advance the career progression and representation of women in science, technology, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) in UK higher education. She is also a member of the ESPCI ParisTech Scientific Committee and was the first director of the Physics of Medicine Initiative. She is a member of the Advisory Council of the Campaign for Science and Engineering
, and was appointed a Trustee of the National Museum of Science in Industry in 2011.
In 2008 it was announced that she would be one of the five recipients of the 2009 L'Oreal/UNESCO Women in Science award. She also won the UKRC’s Women of Outstanding Achievement's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.
She was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2010 Queen's Birthday Honours.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, FRS
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
(born 15 May 1953) is a distinguished British physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
. She is Professor of Experimental Physics in the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
's Department of Physics, and a member of the University Council.
After undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Cambridge, she worked at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
as a postdoctoral associate, before returning to Cambridge in 1981 and to the Cavendish Laboratory
Cavendish Laboratory
The Cavendish Laboratory is the Department of Physics at the University of Cambridge, and is part of the university's School of Physical Sciences. It was opened in 1874 as a teaching laboratory....
in 1983. She became Professor of Experimental Physics in 1998.
Her major domain of study is soft matter physics, particularly its applications to living organisms and the relationship between structure and other properties. Her research has applied microscopy, and in particular Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy to the study of both synthetic and biological systems, notably protein aggregation.
She is a fellow of Robinson College, director of WiSETI, the University's Women in Science, Engineering and Technology Initiative, and the University's Gender Equality Champion. Outside the University, she chairs the Athena Forum, an organisation which aims to to provide a strategic oversight of developments that seek to, or have proven to, advance the career progression and representation of women in science, technology, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) in UK higher education. She is also a member of the ESPCI ParisTech Scientific Committee and was the first director of the Physics of Medicine Initiative. She is a member of the Advisory Council of the Campaign for Science and Engineering
Campaign for Science and Engineering
The Campaign for Science and Engineering is a non-profit organization which promotes science and engineering in the UK. It focuses on arguing for more research funding, promoting a high-tech and knowledge-based economy, highlighting the need for top-quality science and maths education at all...
, and was appointed a Trustee of the National Museum of Science in Industry in 2011.
In 2008 it was announced that she would be one of the five recipients of the 2009 L'Oreal/UNESCO Women in Science award. She also won the UKRC’s Women of Outstanding Achievement's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.
She was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2010 Queen's Birthday Honours.
External links
- Her page on the University of Cambridge website
- Profile on the Royal Society's website
- Blog
- Prof Dame Athene Donald, DBE, FRS at Debrett's People of Today