Reading in the news - Wed 3 Jan

New Year Honours: Vice-Chancellor, Professor Robert Van de Noort CBE, acknowledged the work of Reading colleagues, students and community partners as his appointment to CBE is announced. Reported in theMirror, MSN, Times Higher Education, Wokingham Today, Reading Today, Bicester Advertiser, The Herald Series, This is Oxfordshire, Messenger, Greatest Hits Radio, Heart Berkshire and others. Read our news story.  

Heritage and culture:

• Summer Courts (Classics) was interviewed for BBC World Service and Radio 4 Today from a dig at a medieval graveyard in Wales. Also features in BBC News and Yahoo! News and used by multiple US radio stations.
• Professor Helen Parish (History) joins BBC Berkshire to discuss New Year traditions.
• Free Press and South Wales Argus quote Chris Griffiths (Archaeology) on the discovery of a ring and brooch found in Wales. Republished by Yahoo! News 
• A game board found carved into the Great Wall of China is similar to one found by Reading archaeologists at an Anglo-Saxon hall in Kent, China Daily reports. Republished by Ecns.cn and China.org.cn.  

Business and society:

• Wired mentions that Professor John Dunning (Henley Business School) introduced a system for analysing foreign direct investment.  
• Forbes, Creators Syndicate and  AcraMax use comment by Professor Benjamin Laker (Henley Business School) on self-care during the holiday season.
• Dr Anna Jackman (Geography and Environmental Science) co-authored a report about drone incidents and misuses, Garden Court Chambers reports.  
• Dr Kenton White (Politics and International Relations) writes about the pressure on Ukraine’s western allies, for The Conversation. Republished by Today Headline and Tucson Sentinel. 
• Professor Rosa Freedman (Law) was interviewed on BBC Berkshire about issues facing the United Nations as the UN Security Council delays a vote on Israel-Gaza.  
• Jewish News mentions that human rights barrister, Adam Wagner, has worked alongside Dr Ruvi Ziegler (Law).  
• BBC Berkshire spoke to Professor Steve Musson (Geography) regarding local authorities around the UK running into financial trouble.   

Food and farming:

• BBC Berkshire spoke to Professor Carol Wagstaff (Food and Nutritional Sciences) on how to keep your Christmas dinner sustainable.
• Professor Gunter Kuhnle interviewed on BBC Radio Berkshire about the health benefits of smoothies.
• Dr Charlotte Mills (Food and Nutritional Sciences) is featured on Food Unwrapped on Channel 4, discussing the cardiovascular benefits of watermelons.
• A study by the University found that regularly eating dates improves digestive function, i News reports.
• Professor Ian Givens (Agriculture) highlights the importance of public perceptions of dairy and the health benefits of cheese for VT.
• Professor Gunter Kuhnle (Food and Nutritional Science) comments on a study about sugar content in low-alcohol beer, The Daily Mail reports. Republished by MSN.
• OST News mentions University research that found a 35% decrease in animal fodder yields from grassland over the past century.
• Euro News quotes Dr Lizzie Rowe (Agri-Food Economics and Marketing) on egg-laying hen life expectancy. Republished by Yahoo! News and Biz Crast.  

#PlanetPartners: working with global partners to protect the environment 

• Professor Paul Williams (Meteorology) spoke to BBC World Service Radio, KJZZ 91.5, Texas Public Radio and KIRO-SEA about his research on the impact climate change has on turbulence. US stations including CBS News, WSBTV, KUER, WSB-ATL also cover the story, quoting Isabel Smith (Meteorology).
• Professor Hannah Cloke (Geography/Meteorology) wrote for the The Observer on 2023’s record temperatures, as part of a feature on the 10 biggest science stories of 2023.
• Professor Martin Lukac (Agriculture) is quoted in Borneo Bulletin, regarding forests around the globe increasing the amount of carbon they absorb.
• Professor Andrew Charlton-Perez (Meteorology) is quoted by Sky News (Republished by MSN, Yahoo! News, This Is The Coast and SA India) on Sudden Stratospheric Warming events, which often signal cold winter periods in Europe.

Health and wellbeing

• Professor Ciara McCabe (Psychology) wrote an article for The Conversation on why psychological therapy is now being recommended for menopausal women.
• Science Media Centre quotes Dr Simon Clarke (Biological Sciences) on phage being regarded as a possible avenue for development of new antimicrobials.
• LBC News and Heart Berkshire spoke to Professor Ian Jones (Biological Sciences), who contributes to the discussion surrounding COVID-19 and lockdown conditions contributing to type 1 diabetes.  
• Cosmos mentions research from the University of Reading, finding that chewing gum disrupts the motor processes used to hear music in your head.  

#UniForReading: our role as a civic university  

• BBC Berkshire reports on the University’s community activity over Christmas, including hosting the Santa Run and taking part in the Giving Tree project.
• BBC News mentions that Reading is the only university in Berkshire, as Slough leaders announce ambitions to bring higher education back to the town.

Other Coverage: 

• Royal Borough Observer (in print), The Reading Chronicle and Bracknell News quote Professor Alan Howard (Geography and Environmental Science) on approaches to using AI in teaching and learning.  
• Reading Today and Wokingham Today mention that Professor Paul Glaister CBE (Mathematics) was honoured as part of The King’s first New Year Honours list, a year ago.
• The Reading Chronicle and BBC Berkshire report on concerns about traffic and parking problems that have been raised over the plans for a new weather centre at the University of Reading.  
• Broadcast (in print) mentions that Shinfield Studios and the University of Reading are working with Screen Berkshire to develop educational initiatives.  
• Cinematic Landscapes returns to The University of Reading’s Great Hall, Wokingham Today and Reading Today report.  
• The University of Reading partnered with Maniyan Medical Centre, who arranged a cycle rally from its hospital to the district forest office, creating awareness amongst public on snakes, Afternoon News reports.  

Alumni:

• Landscape photographer, Joe Cornish, studied at Reading, Darlington & Stockton Times, The Northern Echo and Pechip report.
• The Times (in print) reports that Sam Steel studied law at the University of Reading.
• Tendai Mtawarira, who studied at Henley Business School, is featured on CNBC Europe.
• Alberto Bounous, vice president for development at King Abdullah Finical District, studied at the University of Reading, Arab News reports.
• Jaun Baba News and Punch mention that Chukwuemeka Okpara, Relationship Manager for the United Bank for Africa, earned a Master’s in Real Estate Management at the University.
• Co-founder and former chief executive of Acme Studios, Jonathan Harvey, studied art at Reading, The Guardian (in print) reports.
• UK Bio Tech, ADVFN, Norfolk & Wrentham, Demopolis Times, The Kenbridge Victoria Dispatch, Interior Journal, The Daily News, The Oxford Eagle and many other news outlets report that Board of Directors for Biodexa, Ann Merchant, holds an MBA from Henley Business School.
• Cereal grower, Iain McMordie, earned a degree in Agricultural Science from the University, Farming Life and News Letter (in print) report.
• Wokingham Today mentions that MP, Penny Mordaunt, was a former president at the University of Reading Students’ Union.