Reading in the news - Tue 26 Jan

COVID-19: expert comment on the coronavirus pandemic 

• Dr Simon Clarke (Biological Sciences) is quoted by Daily Mail, Reuters, Medscape and Rappler about the UK variant being more lethal; spoke to BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester about vaccine supply issues.
• Professor Ian Jones (Biological Sciences) is quoted by Channel4.com on evidence the new variant is more lethal.
• Dr Al Edwards (Pharmacy) is quoted in a Technology Networks article on mass testing.
• Professor Helen Dodd (Psychology) spoke to BBC Radio Oxford about the value of nursery to young children’s learning and the impact closures had during the first lockdown.
• Professor Uma Kambhampati (Economics) co-signs a letter to the Guardian calling on the UK to cooperate to vaccine supply to low-income countries.

#WeAreTogether: Reading’s work to tackle the coronavirus crisis

• RUSU President Rachel Osborne spoke to Heart Berkshire about working with the University to call for more help from the government for students in private rented housing. The Daily Mail and This Is Money mention at the end of articles about student loans in the US that Reading recently rejected a call from the students union’ for a partial refund of tuition fees.

Neanderthals: Deutsche Welle visited the University to speak to Professor Steve Mithen (Archaeology) about how early humans survived and adapted to their environment.

International strategy: University of Reading Malaysia Provost and CEO Professor Wing Lam writes for Times Higher Education on the future of transnational education and branch campuses. Pro Vice Chancellor: International Paul Inman is quoted in a University World News piece on sustainable internationalisation of universities.

Greener flights: Professor Paul Williams and PhD researcher Cathie Wells (Meteorology) are quoted in articles by the Independent, Telegraph, Head Topics, Brinkwire, Sci Tech Daily, Eurasia, and Spiegel Science, NTV and Blue News (Germany),  on their research showing aircraft could save fuel and emissions by making better use of favourable jet stream winds.

House sales: Professor Michael Ball (Henley Business School) spoke to BBC Radio 4 You and Yours about new house sale figures and how the pandemic and stamp duty holiday has affected the market. The Negotiator reports on his comments.

Other coverage

• Vice quotes Professor David Carter (ISLI) on the new Turing Scheme which has been announced by the UK government to replace the Erasmus scheme.
• A Forbes article refers to Henley Business School research on quantitative easing policies by central banks.
• Daily Mail quotes Dr Simon Clarke (Biological Sciences) on the effectiveness of a UV light cleaning gadget, in a ‘Do I really need?’ mini feature.
• Dr Alanna Skuse (English Literature) spoke to BBC Radio Berkshire about examples of ‘self wounding’ in society and theatre in the 16^th and 17^th century.
• PhD student Helen Griffith (GES) spoke to BBC Radio Berkshire about her research into Atmospheric Rivers and flooding around the UK this month.
• The Reading Chronicle looks at the history of Reading War Room 6 on the Whiteknights campus.
• Bee Craft mentions a PhD studentship open at Reading to study honey authentication.
• Dr Tara Pirie (Biological Sciences) was a guest on BBC Radio Berkshire’s Coffee Club, discussing topical stories, including the Cole Museum of Zoology move to the new Health and Life Sciences Building.