Reading in the news - Tue 10 Dec

Syria: Professor Harmonie Toros (Politics and International Relations) describes the challenges facing Syria for Heart Radio Berkshire and Deutsche Welle. From our comment: Syria: “International community must not alienate moderates" ; while BBC Radio Berkshire and BBC Radio Oxford spoke to Reading student Haddy Nuri about the historic change.

Family tribute: The family of student Fintan Feltham pay tribute after he died in Oxford. Reported by Greatest Hits Radio, ITV 1 Meridian Thames Valley, Reading Chronicle, MSN, Yahoo News, Herald Series, This is Oxfordshire, Oxford Mail, Gloucestershire Live, Somersetlive and Bristol Post.

Health and wellbeing:

• Professor Sakthi Vaiyapuri (Pharmacy) jointly organised India’s first conference on clinical toxicology, reports Business Minutes and Economic Times.
• Dr Aidan Taylor (Biomedical Sciences) tells Food Manafacture and Bakery and Snacks that E. coli contamination on salad crops comes from animals, showing the need for better safety measures.
• Research from the University highlighted by Hello Magazine and Yahoo News shows that time in solitude can be a good thing.
• BBC Radio Berkshire spoke to Dr Francesco Tamagnini and Dr Mark Dallas (Pharmacy) on the brain impacts of heading footballs.
• Technology Networks and Tech Explorist reported that Dr Luis Antunes and Dr Ricardo Grau-Crespo (Chemistry) likened predicting crystal structures to solving a complex, multidimensional puzzle. From our story: AI learns language of atom arrangements in solids.

Business and society:

• Dr Rachel Roberts (Institute of Education) spoke to Times Radio about the value in studying English Literature at college and university.
• Professor Jo Phoenix (Law) is co-signatory of a letter from academics to The Times expressing concern about government plans to ‘water down’ aspects of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act.
• T3N reports on a study looking at AI in university exams. From our story: AI generated exam answers undetected in real world test.
• Chemistry World in a review of 2024 highlights Reading’s decision to keep its chemistry department open, in contrast to closures at other universities.
• BBC News, BBC Radio Berkshire and BBC Radio Oxford interviewed Professor Steve Musson (Geography) on some of the reasons behind a drop in in retail sales figures.

#PlanetPartners: working with global partners to protect the environment 

• Dr Jess Neumann (Geography and Environmental Science) spoke to BBC Surrey about the increase in sewage spills in the River Mole and across the Thames Water region.
• Professor Liz Stephens (Meteorology) is quoted in MSN News on the dangers caused by floods round the Mediterranean.
• Research by the University of Reading and RHS, highlighted by House & Garden, found ivy helps regulate house temperatures year-round.
• Reading Chronicle reports that student Ramandeep Nijjar won a national award from BBC’s Countryfile. The nomination episode was repeated on BBC Two. From our story: Zoology student named Countryfile Young Countryside Champion.

#UniForReading: our role as a civic university

• Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Van de Noort highlights the value of charitable giving in the run-up to Christmas in his column for Reading Today.
• In his column for Wokingham Today and Reading Today Cllr Stephen Conway, leader of Wokingham Borough Council, highlighted the council’s collaboration with the University as part its successes of 2024.
• Bracknell News features the first look at High Copse sports pavilion in Shinfield, built by the University for local community sport.
• Reading Chronicle and other local media reported on the memorial event at the University’s Great Hall run by Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent hospice.

Alumni:

• CHRO featured Gcobisa Ntshona, African Bank's Chief People Officer, who holds an MBA from Henley Business School.
• Wiley Industry News reported that Heike Riel, a Henley MBA graduate from 2010, has been elected President of the German Physical Society.