Reading in the news - Mon 13 May

Northern lights: Professor Mathew Owens (Meteorology) discusses the solar storms that hit Earth and the visibility of the northern lights in the UK for BBC News 24, BBC 1 South, CNN Newsroom, LBC Radio News, Sky News, Mirror, the Daily Mail, phys.org, Business Insider, Daily Star, The Economic Times, TVC News, The Telegraph, Yahoo! News, Smooth Radio, Capital Radio, Heart, The Straits Times, WFMZ, Big Country News, Inquirer.Net, BirminghamLive, Manchester Evening Live, ExBulletin, KTBS3, MalayMail, This is Money, Mint, Borneo Bulletin, Citizen Digital, Philstar Global, MSN, RTE, Raw Story, The Star, Paudal, Gulf Times and more than one hundred other outlets, such as Times Now World, News24, Urdu Point and WION. Read our expert comment. Professor Chris Scott (Meteorology) spoke to The Times about coronial mass ejections

Avocado risk: The Daily Mail quotes Professor Carol Wagstaff (Food and Nutritional Sciences) on avocados potentially becoming scarce due to climate change. Republished by the Independent, ITV News, WalesOnline, Ireland Live, The Comet, Daily Echo, Bucks Free Press, Hereford Times, East Anglian Daily Times, DorsetEcho, Worcester News, Eastern Daily Press, Warrington Guardian, The Argus, The Standard and many other news outlets like The National, Southern Daily Echo and The Press. Radio coverage is provided by BBC Radio Berkshire.   

Redefining nature: Professor Tom Oliver (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology) writes for The Conversation about a new campaign to redefine ‘nature’. Republished by Science Alert.

#UniForReading: our role as a civic university  

• Reading.co.uk, Wokingham Today, and The Reading Chronicle reports on the return of the Community Festival, hosted by the University of Reading. Molli Cleaver (Community Relations Manager) is quoted. 

Food and farming:

• Professor Christine Williams (Food and Nutritional Sciences) is quoted by Perth Now, Female First, Brisbane Times, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age discussing research about ultra-processed foods. Professor Gunter Kuhnle (Food and Nutritional Sciences) is also quoted by Arab Times Online and Political Correctness Watch regarding UPFs.
• BBC 2 mentions research by the University that looked into the impact of houseplants on psychological wellbeing. Read our news story.

#PlanetPartners: working with global partners to protect the environment:

• South West Farmer quotes Professor Hannah Cloke (Geography/Meteorology) on wet weather having an impact on food security.  
• BBC Radio Shetland, BBC Radio Berkshire and BBC Radio Orkney report on a University led project seeking volunteers who can help to digitise old weather data. Read our news story.
• The Telegraph worked with PhD student, Rosie Mammatt, to rank 15 of the most popular European holiday destinations based on weather reliability. Republished by MSN, Yahoo! Life and VNExplorer.
• Dr Alex Arnall (International Development) and Professor Christopher Merchant (Meteorology) are reported as key attendees at the fourth annual Great Big Green Week in Henley, Henley Standard mentions.

Other Coverage:

• South Africa Today mentions that Professor Frank Mayle (Geography and Environmental Science) is co-leading research into indigenous peoples and the environment in Ancient Amazonia.
• Dr Deepa Driver (Henley Business School) comments on the imprisonment of Abdullah Öcalan, for ANF News.
• Dr Rebecca Berkley (Institute of Education) is set to give a talk at Queen Anne’s School, which is hosting an annual gathering of music educators, Wokingham Today reports.

Alumni:

• Spanish vice-chair of the European Parliament’s research committee, Dr Lina Gálvez, was once a professor at the University of Reading, Horizon: The EU Research & Innovation Magazine mentions.
• Mona Doshi, who is a Partner at ALN Kenya, holds an LLB from the University of Reading, Jersey Finance reports.
• Director of Heronswood Garden in Kingston, Ross Bayton, earned his Ph.D. at the University of Reading, Tri-City Herald reports.
• Director General ad interim of the International Potato Center, Dr. Oscar Ortiz, holds a Ph.D. from the University, Global Diaspora News reports.
• Rural News reports that Manawatu farmer, Will Hilton, holds a BSc from the University of Reading.
• Senior vice president for investment for e-commerce giant, JD.com, Nicholas Gunn, graduated from the University, Mingtiandi reports.
• BBC Radio 4’s Gardener’s Question Time spoke to Bunny Guinness and Pippa Greenwood, who graduated from the University.