Reading in the news - Fri 10 Oct

Health and wellbeing:

• Professor Ciara McCabe (Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences) was quoted by CNN (republished by AOL) about how hobbies can lower chances of depression, with further coverage from Hemel Today. 

Food and farming:

• Rothamstead Research, SeedQuest, and Phys.org reported on research in collaboration with Reading to develop more nutritional white bread. 
• UKRI, Complete AI Training, and Research Live (republished by WiredGov) highlighted research from Dr Jorge Campos Gonzalez (Agri-food Economics), looking into how AI can make agriculture more sustainable. 

#PlanetPartners: working with global partners to protect the environment

• Solar Daily and Environmental News Network reported on research from Professor Simon Potts (Sustainable Land Management), finding that bees benefit from solar panel farms. 
• Insurwave and Islands (republished by Yahoo!News) mentioned a study by Professor Paul Williams (Meteorology) which found climate change increases air turbulence. From our story: Turbulent flights to continue as warming world shakes skies 

Business and society:

• RICS reported on changes to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors guidance made by Professor Neil Crosby (Henley Business School). 
• Fortune (republished by AOL and MSN) mentioned research from Dr Linghe Lei (Henley Business School), about adapting to the workplace. 
• News Ghana and Direct News reported that Henley Business School has joined the Future of Management Education Alliance. 
• Inkl featured research from Professor Lisa Purse and Andrew Phillip (both Film, Theatre and TV) which warns of the UK’s overreliance on US-based film and TV productions. 
• Professor Benjamin Laker (Henley Business School) was quoted by The Irish Times about what causes cultural shifts in companies. 
• The Sun Nigeria provided further coverage of the Global Education Conference taking place in Lagos, which the University will be attending. 

Heritage and culture:

• UK Times and That’s TV Thames Valley reported on a 490-year-old survey commissioned by Henry VIII which Professor Adrian Bell (Henley Business School) has been researching. From our story: Henry VIII’s ‘Tudor Domesday Book’ to open to the public 
• Usinger Anzeiger included comments from Dr Suzy White (Evolutionary Biology) about the age of an ancient human skull. 

#UniForReading: our role as a civic university

• Community Engagement Manager Molli Cleaver spoke to BBC Radio Berkshire about the University’s Shinfield green space project. From our story: Work begins on £1m biodiversity project in Shinfield 

Other coverage:

• Fooshya reported that Reading has been listed amongst the top 30 UK universities by Times Higher Education. From our story: UK top 30 for Reading: THE World University Rankings 2026 
• The Reading Chronicle highlighted help from the local police during freshers week. 
• Retail Times, Peterborough Matters, Exmouth Journal, and Feast highlighted Reading as a pop-up location for Subway, which will be handing out free jacket potatoes. 
• LILT listed a talk from Professor Federico Faloppa (Languages and Cultures) about language use in social services. 
• Construction News profiled Ashley Wheaton, Vice Chancellor of the University of the Built Environment, former employee of the University.  
• The Portugal News highlighted students from Aspire International School who have gone on to study at Reading. 

Alumni:

• CEO of Consumer Council for Water Michael Keil, who has a PhD in Meteorology, has been appointed to the Adaptation Committee of the Climate Change Committee, reports Mirage News. 
• MarketScreener highlighted Reading graduate Simon Pryce, who has been appointed Director of Smiths Group. 
• David Manifold, CFO of H&MV Engineering was recognised in the top 100 Chief Financial Officers according to Business and Finance. 
• The National highlighted that Kino Wenge, son of former Papua New Guinean politician Luther Wenge, studied Computer Science and Agricultural Management.