Reading in the news - Tue 20 Jul

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

• European flooding:
  • Professor Hannah Cloke (Geography/Meteorology) spoke to Newsnight on BBC Two, BBC One News at 10, and Channel 4 News on Friday evening about the floods in Europe. She was interviewed by BBC World News television; and was quoted by the Guardian, Financial Times, Independent, Daily Mail, the Express, Reuters, Washington Post, Smithsonian, Forbes, Yahoo News, in a live CNN report from Germany, and widely in German media – including ZDF, ARD, BR24, Tagesschau and Suddeutsche Zeitung - on Monday about how flood warnings are used by governments.
  • Dr Linda Speight (Geography) wrote a piece for CNN and was interviewed by NBC.
  • PhD student Jeff Da Costa (Geography/Meteorology) is quoted by CNN, KTVZ, 100,7 radio (Luxembourg) and other titles worldwide, following his article in The Conversation about his research and personal experience of the floods in Luxembourg.
• Heat warning:
  • PhD Chloe Brimicombe (Geography/Walker Institute) was interviewed on BBC World Service Radio and BBC Radio Somerset; and quoted by BBC News Online, Mail Online, the Independent, LBC, This Is Money, UAE News, Yahoo News via the Press Association news agency and in 100+ regional news titles around the UK on new Amber heat warnings issued in the UK by the Met Office. Read our comment round-up.
  • Dr Rob Thompson (Meteorology) is quoted by the Guardian, Mail Online and the Scotsman.

COVID-19: expert comment on the pandemic 

• Dr Simon Clarke (Biological Sciences) is quoted in CNN and Archyde on the hospitality industry leading to increased infection rates; BMJ on the effectiveness of self isolating; The Daily Mail about countries on the UK’s amber list; and spoke to BBC Hereford and Worcestor about encouraging young people to get the vaccine.
• Dr Al Edwards (Pharmacy) spoke to BBC Radio Berkshire following the government press conference on ‘Freedom Day’.
• Dr Carl Singleton (Economics) co-wrote an article for The Conversation on lack of home support at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics due to Covid restrictions, published by QRIUS.

Other Coverage:

• Jon Foster Pedley (Dean and Director of Henley Business School Africa) writes for the Daily Maverick on how businesses should face up to crises.
• Professor Emeritus Phillipa Darbre (formerly of Biological Sciences) is quoted in The Times on her research on the health impacts of cosmetics.
• Reach MD quotes Professor Gunter Kuhnle (Food) on herbal supplements being marketed as diet pills. 
• Dr Alistair Culham (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology) is quoted in The Express on when plants should be watered. 
• Dr Conor Carville (English) spoke to BBC Radio Berkshire about the Samuel Beckett Research Centre at the University, and the writer’s legacy.
• Former Reading Associate Profesor Ben Neumann (Biological Sciences) is quoted by the International Business Times on how viruses and parasites could theoretically turn people and animals into zombies.
• Eit Food mentions the launch of a free online nutrition course for medical professionals, to which Reading has contributed content.
• The Weather Observatory on the University campus is mentioned in a BBC Radio Devon piece on drought and rainfall.
• Reading Architecture student Chlöe Louise Little is quoted in Newsbreak and Yahoo articles about overpacking for university students.