Reading in the news - Tue 31 Aug

COVID-19: expert comment on the pandemic 

• Dr Simon Clarke (Biological Sciences) is quoted by the Mail Online, Evening Standard and more than 100 regional press titles, including the Reading Chronicle, around the UK via the Press Association on rising infection levels in the UK ahead of the bank holiday weekend; writes a feature for The Sun on the UK’s vaccination programme; The Observer and Joe.co.uk on UK infection rates being higher currently than last summer; the Sunday Times and Mail Online on vaccinating younger children; The Express on booster jabs; Mail Online, Metro, Urdu Point and International Business Times on the rising death rate in the UK and globally; Mail Online and China Daily on waning immunity from vaccines; and News EU on the lab leak theory on the origins of the coronavirus. Dr Clarke spoke to BBC Radio 2 and LBC Radio about vaccinations for younger children; BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio Wiltshire about the impact festivals could have on infection rates; and quoted on ITV Meridian on the likelihood of new restrictions.

#PlanetPartners: Reading’s global work for a sustainable future

• Dr Claire Ryder (Meteorology) is quoted, along with satellite image analysis by Professor Helen Dacre (Meteorology), in The Sun, MSN News and Coventry Live on the Leamington Spa industrial fire being visible from space.
• Professor Hannah Cloke (Geography/Meteorology) was interviewed on Weather World on BBC World/BBC News Channel/BBC One on preparing for flooding events as a result of climate change, and looking ahead to the COP26 climate change summit.
• Professor Martin Lukac (Agriculture) is quoted by CNBC on the impact of more extreme weather due to climate change on farming.
• Henley Standard mentions that the University had a number of lead and contributing authors in the latest IPCC report on climate change, published earlier this month. Read our news story.
• Renewable Energy World quotes Professor Ed Hawkins (Meteorology) on the IPCC report’s findings.
• The Hindustan Times and MSN News quote PhD student Akshay Deoras (Meteorology) on rain forecasts for Mumbai.
• Dr Tom Breeze (Agriculture) is quoted by Sci Dev Net on his recent study assessing likely causes and effects of pollinator decline worldwide. Read our news story.

Other Coverage:

• Live Science report on the discovery of a monastery ruled over by Queen Cynethryth in the 8^th century, during an excavation led by Dr Gabor Thomas (Archaeology). A local journalist told BBC Radio Berkshire about their coverage of the discovery in a Berkshire news round-up. Read our news story.
• Frontiers in Psychology report on Reading research showing that looking at pictures of vegetables in books can make children more likely to eat them. Read our news story.
• Qrius republishes an article written for The Conversation by Professor Helen Parish (History) on bizarre weather forecasting methods used through history.
• India Education Diary reports that two security and armed conflict law experts have joined the University’s School of Law as Visiting Professors. Read our news story.
• An interview in Thrive Global with two authors on reinventing yourself mentions that one of them runs Leading Change workshops at Henley Business School.
• A photograph from the Museum of English Rural Life collections is used in a Contractor & Large Scale Farmer feature on early tractors.
• BBC Radio Berkshire interviews Emeritus Professor Andy Kemp (Drama) on a new series of events to mark the 40^th anniversary of the Greenham Common Women’s Peace camp demonstrations against nuclear weapons.
• PR Week interviews a Reading graduate on getting a job in PR during the pandemic.
• A Guardian obituary for art teacher John Spencer mentions that he took his art teacher diploma at the University of Reading.