Athene Donald facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dame Athene Donald
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Athene Donald in 2013
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| 7th Master of Churchill College, Cambridge | |
| In office 2014–2024 |
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| Preceded by | David Wallace |
| Succeeded by | Sharon Peacock |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Athene Margaret Griffith
15 May 1953 London, England |
| Residences | Cambridge, England |
| Education | Camden School for Girls |
| Alma mater | University of Cambridge (BA, PhD) |
| Spouse(s) | Matthew J. Donald |
| Awards |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields |
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| Institutions |
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| Thesis | Electron microscopy of grain boundary embrittled systems (1977) |
Dame Athene Margaret Donald (born May 15, 1953) is a famous British physicist. She used to be a professor at the University of Cambridge. She was also the head of Churchill College, Cambridge.
Contents
Early Life and School
Athene Margaret Griffith was born in London, England. Her parents were Walter Griffith and Annette Marian Tylor. She went to Camden School for Girls. Later, she studied at the University of Cambridge. She earned a bachelor's degree in Natural Science. In 1977, she completed her PhD. Her research looked at tiny structures in materials using electron microscopy.
Science Research and Career
After her PhD, Athene Donald worked at Cornell University. There, she started studying polymers, which are like plastics. Before this, she had worked with metals. In 1981, she came back to Cambridge. She joined the Cavendish Laboratory in 1983.
She became a Professor of Experimental Physics in 1998. Her main area of study is soft matter physics. This field looks at squishy materials like gels and liquids. She also studies how these materials behave in living things. She explores the link between a material's structure and its properties.
Her research uses special microscopes. One type is the environmental scanning electron microscope. She uses it to study both man-made and natural systems. This includes how proteins clump together.
What is Soft Matter Physics?
Professor Donald's research is very creative. She studies soft matter physics. This includes polymers and tiny particles called colloids. More recently, she has studied biophysics. This is the physics of living things.
Her early work looked at how glassy polymers break. She also studied how liquid crystal polymers move. She showed how these materials change shape when pushed.
Later, she started studying biological physics. This led her to research food, especially starch. She used a special X-ray method to understand starch. This helped explain how starch changes when cooked. She also studied how proteins can fold incorrectly. This is linked to many diseases. Her work showed that polymer science can help understand these problems.
Professor Donald uses many tools in her research. These include electron microscopy and X-ray scattering. She also uses optical microscopes. She even started a special group at the Cavendish Lab. This group helps connect soft matter physics with biology.
Leadership Roles
Athene Donald has held many important positions. From 1981 to 2014, she was a Fellow at Robinson College, Cambridge. She then became the Master of Churchill College. This means she was the head of the college. She is now an honorary fellow at both Robinson and Girton College, Cambridge.
She was also on the Council of Cambridge University. She helped lead the Science Museum Group. She was also part of the European Research Council. This group supports scientific research in Europe.
Professor Donald was the first head of the Institute of Physics biological physics group. She also served on the Council of the Royal Society. This is a very old and respected science organization. She was also the President of the British Science Association.
Helping Women in Science
Athene Donald is a strong supporter of women in science. From 2006 to 2014, she led WiSETI. This program helps women in science, engineering, and technology at Cambridge University. She was also the university's first Gender Equality Champion.
She has worked with many groups to promote diversity. She writes about women in science on her blog. She also gives many talks on this topic.
In 2023, she wrote a book called Not Just for the Boys: Why We Need More Women in Science. She has received awards for her work in this area. Her portrait hangs in the Cavendish Laboratory.
Awards and Honors
In 1999, Athene Donald became a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honor for scientists. She was recognized for her work on how polymers behave. She showed how their structure affects their strength. She also pioneered studies of liquid crystal polymers. Her work helped us understand how materials like starch change.
She has received many other awards, including:
- 1983: Royal Society University Research Fellow
- 1989: Boys Prize of the Institute of Physics
- 1994: Inducted a Fellow of the American Physical Society
- 2005: Mott Medal of the Institute of Physics
- 2006: Bakerian Lecture of the Royal Society
- 2009: L'Oréal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science award
- 2010: Appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) by the Queen
- 2010: Faraday Medal of the Institute of Physics
- 2011: UKRC Women of Outstanding Achievement's Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2012: Honorary Doctorate from the University of East Anglia
- 2012: Honorary Doctorate from the University of Exeter
- 2013: Honorary Doctorate from the University of Sheffield
- 2013: Elected Fellow of the European Academy of Science
- 2014: Honorary Doctorate from Swansea University
- 2014: Honorary Doctorate from UCL
- 2015: Honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University
- 2015: Honorary Doctorate from the University of Manchester
- 2015: Honorary Doctorate from the University of Liverpool
- 2016: Bradford Global Achievement Award
- 2016: Honorary Doctorate from University of Leeds
- 2017: Honorary Doctorate from University of Bath
- 2019: Lifetime Achievement Award from THE
- 2021: Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry
Personal Life
Athene Donald married mathematician Matthew J. Donald in 1976. They have two children, a son and a daughter. They also have two grandchildren.
