Reading in the news - Fri 19 Mar

COVID-19: expert comment on the pandemic

• Dr Simon Clarke (Biological Sciences) comments on problems with vaccine supply in the UK, including in Daily Mail, Independent, ITV News, and extensively worldwide via Press Association and Associated Press. He also spoke to BBC Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine show.
• Dr Clarke comments on a report about a 2020 travel corridors with Greece bringing Covid to the UK to Sky News, Yahoo News and others.
• He spoke to TalkRadio and Times Radio about public confidence in vaccines after the short-lived suspension of AstraZeneca’s vaccine over blood clot fears.
• Dr Al Edwards (Pharmacy) answered listeners’ questions on the pandemic on BBC Radio Berkshire’s breakfast show this morning. 

Cloud seeding: Work by Profs Giles Harrison, Maarten Ambaum and Dr Keri Nicoll (Meteorology) in the United Arab Emirates on making rain with electrical charge from drones is reported by BBC News Urdu, BBC Tamil, Brunei Direct, Avant Garde (Cyprus), Female First, Khaleej Times (UAE), MSN, Futurism, BBC Radio Sheffield. Prof Ambaum spoke to BBC Radio Berkshire. 

Film studios: The Reading Chronicle and GetReading report that planning officers have recommended that Wokingham Borough Council grants planning approval to four temporary film studios at Thames Valley Science Park.

Community voices: BBC Radio Berkshire highlights the University’s open online discussion on Thursday about race in Reading, and interview Deputy Vice-Chancellor Prof Parveen Yaqoob. Read our news story.

Other coverage

• Prof Kate Williams (History) spoke to BBC 5Live Breakfast on the history behind the census.
• The Independent reports on transatlantic flight time improvements, with reference to research by Prof Paul Williams (Meteorology).
• The Daily Telegraph quotes Prof Ed Hawkins (Meteorology) in an article highlighting ‘fake news’ about climate change.
• Dr Deepa Senapathi (Agriculture)-led research on insect diversity is highlighted by Farms (Canada) with her Conversation blog used by Reaction. Read our news story.
• Dr Ruvi Ziegler (Law) is quoted in the Economist on Britain’s post-Brexit plans on who should get the vote.
• M7 Real Estate announce funding for Pathways to Property, the Reading Real Estate Foundation’s widening access scheme at Henley Business School.