Reading in the news - Mon 8 Feb

COVID-19: expert comment on the pandemic 

• Dr Simon Clarke (Biological Sciences) was interviewed on Times Radio (from 13 mins 25 secs), TRT World, LBC, Heart Berkshire, BBC Hereford and Worcester on the UK Covid-19 situation; Channel 4 News (from 1 min 58 secs) on vaccines and when we can get back to normal;, and answered listeners’ questions on BBC Radio Berkshire. He is quoted by the Telegraph and MSN News on the latest case numbers; Yahoo News on a published study of virus mutation within a patient; The Sun in a piece busting myths about vaccines; and spoke to Berkshire Live about why Reading borough has seen the highest number of Covid-19 deaths in Berkshire.
• Professor Helen Dodd (Psychology) is quoted in The Guardian, Yahoo News, The Sunday Express in an article about the benefits children get from being in school.
• Professor Ian Jones (Biological Sciences) is quoted by The Express from his article in The Lancet on the Russian vaccine trials.
• Professor Uma Kambhampati (Economics) is quoted by China.org, China Economic Net and News Ghana on diversifying vaccine supply worldwide.
• Dr Jane Parker (Food) spoke to BBC Berkshire about people suffering from distorted smell and taste, called parosmia, after having Covid-19.
• The Royal Society for Public Health previews a webinar involving Dr Ranjita Dhital (Pharmacy) on issues with alcohol during the lockdown.
• Provost and CEO of University of Reading Malaysia Professor Wing Lam writes for The Star in Malaysia on what the pandemic has taught us about online learning and transnational education.

Planet Partners: working with global partners to protect the environment 

• Professor Elizabeth Robinson (Agriculture) is quoted by The Big issue on the Climate Coalition report she contributed to, on the links between climate change and health.

#UoRWay: how University life continues through the pandemic

• Henley Standard interviews a Reading graduate (Art) who has reached the semi-final of the Sky Arts show Landscape Artist of the Year.
• Local band Failed Authors, three quarters of which is made up of University of Reading colleagues, were played for a second time on BBC Radio Berkshire.

Snowmelt flooding: Professor Hannah Cloke (GES) is quoted by the Telegraph and Yahoo News on the potential for snowmelt flooding this winter.

Other coverage:

• Dr Eugene Mohareb (Built Environment) is quoted by the Independent and Yahoo News on a book arguing food miles are a poor indicator of carbon footprint.
• Spiegel Science quotes postdoctoral researcher Marlene Kretschmer (Meteorology) on the link between polar vortex strength and weather conditions.
• BBC Radio Berkshire spoke to Kate Arnold-Forster (The MERL) about their 51 Voices project celebrating the museum’s 70^th anniversary.
• People Management publish an article co-written by PhD student Jenny Robinson (Henley Business School) on showing bravery in leadership roles.
• Canberra Times and Yahoo News republish an article written for The Conversation by Professor Roberta Gilchrist (Archaeology) about the new Netflix film The Dig.
• Big News Network republishes an article written for The Conversation by Professor Tom Oliver (Biological Sciences) on nature conservation.
• The Points Guy reports the news that transatlantic flights will be offered more flexible flight paths following Reading research. Read our news story.
• Informed Comment and Middle East Monitor publishes an open letter signed by British academics who are also Israeli citizens, including Dr Pil and Galia Kollectiv (Art) calling on UK universities to reject the Government’s ‘working definition of antisemitism’.
• Anglia Farmer reports on technology being co-developed by University experts that will sense grain quality during harvests.
• Farm Week reports on Reading research showing public trust in the food sector has increased during the pandemic.
• Farmers Guardian reports Reading research on cow milk production.
• BBC Radio Berkshire spoke to historian Tom Holland, who will be giving UoR’s annual chaplaincy lecture in March.
• The Guardian publishes an obituary for social worker Joan Setter who studied at the University of Reading.
• The Guardian Nigeria publishes an obituary for surveyor and community figure Thomas Adebayo, who graduated from Reading in 1960.