Reading in the news - Wed 17 Mar

COVID-19: expert comment on the pandemic

• Professor Jon Gibbins (Biological Sciences) is quoted by the Guardian, CNN, 7News (Australia) and dozens of US radio stations, and spoke to BBC Radio Berkshire (also on BBC Kent), about blood clot concerns around the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.
• Dr Simon Clarke (Biological Sciences) spoke to Al Jazeera on making data around vaccines and public hesitancy around them public; France 24, Yicai (China), Daily Mail, Politico, The National and the Washington Time about concerns over blood clotting after the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine; and LBC Radio about a new variant found in the Philippines.
• Jon Foster-Pedley, Dean and Director of Henley Business School Africa, writes for the Daily Maverick (South Africa) about the importance of trust in scientific evidence during the pandemic.

Cloud seeding: New tests in the United Arab Emirates to explore how effective delivering electrical charge into clouds using drones is to induce rainfall – the latest step in a project led by the University of Reading – is reported by The Times, which quotes Dr Keri Nicoll (Meteorology), and mentioned on BBC Radio 4 and Times Radio in their round up of morning headlines. Kontan (Indonesia) also report the story.

Other coverage

• Professor Jane Setter (Applied Linguistics) recorded a video for CBBC Newsround with advice on learning names you might not be familiar with.
• Phys.org, Bionengineer and News Break report on new research led by Dr Deepa Senapathi (Biological Sciences) showing high insect diversity near crops makes pollination services more stable. Read our news story.
• AIN Online reports that UK air traffic controllers NATS organised no westbound flights across the North Atlantic on one day last week as it takes steps towards potentially disbanding its Organised Track Structure. This trial followed Reading research highlighting the advantages of more flexible flight paths, and lead author Cathie Wells (Meteorology) is quoted. Read our new story.
• Forbes quotes Andrew Godley (Henley Business School) on the importance of compassion in leaders.
• Euro News and an article on Medium reports the trial of a four-day working week in Spain, citing research by Henley Business School.
• Beauty Bible quotes Professor Glenn Gibson (Food and Nutritional Sciences) on the role the gut plays in the body’s immune response.
• Phys.org reports on research involving Reading (Archaeology) that has revealed ancient international trading routes between Exeter and Europe.
• Independent.com (Malta) reports on a leading Maltese financial services firm appointing a Henley Business School graduate as head of its anti-money laundering team.
• Skeptical Inquirer quotes Professor Helen Parish (History) on English witch trials in a story about an exorcist who claims a cat has been possessed by a demon.
• BBC Radio Berkshire (also on BBC Kent) spoke to Victoria Ely, Artistic Director of Music at Reading, about the Ben Pedley Award for second year students who support the community through music. Read our news story.