Reading in the news - Mon 17 Aug

Cookham archaeology: Sandi Toksvig’s Hidden Wonders (pictured) episode on Cookham Abbey ran on Channel 4 on Saturday evening, featuring Professor Gabor Thomas, Professor Mary Lewis, and Dr Sophia Mills (all Archaeology). From our story: Cookham dig to reveal monastic care for early England's sick

Beckett book: Professor Mark Nixon (English Literature) was quoted by The Times, Gazeta Express, and The Guardian (also via Yahoo News, AOL, Inkl, Europe Says, Magzter, MSN, and others) on the upcoming publication of Samuel Beckett’s German travel diaries, which he edited. From our story: Samuel Beckett’s Nazi Germany travel diaries revealed

Health and wellbeing:

• Dr Simon Clarke (Biomedical Sciences) appeared on BBC Radio 4 Inside Science and was quoted by Ingenieur and Take to News about research using AI to make new viruses. From our expert comment: Scientists design phage virus with AI model
• Dr Simon Clarke (Biomedical Sciences) was quoted by The Guardian, AOL, Inkl, and Yahoo News on how hot weather is making cities smell.
• The Guardian (and Yahoo News, Inkl, BritBrief, and AOL) quoted Dr Rich Harrison and PhD student Susanne Cromme (both Psychology) on women’s untreated pain during hysteroscopies. From our story: Mumsnet posts reveal women gaslit over womb procedure pain
• A study by Professor Netta Weinstein (Psychology) found benefits to spending time alone, reports Wellbeing. From our story: Alone but not lonely: how solitude boosts wellbeing

Food and farming:

• Huffington Post and Z News quoted Professor Gunter Kuhnle (Food and Nutritional Sciences) on flavanol-rich foods. From our story: Not all five-a-days are equal for heart health
• A study by Professor Kuhnle into salt in takeaways was featured by Natural News. From our story: Salty facts: takeaways have more saltthan labels claim
• Professor Richard Bennett (Agriculture) was quoted by The Cattle Site, The Dairy Site, The Poultry Site, The Pig Site, The Beef Site and Europe Says on animal welfare. From our story: Shoppers would fork out more for better farm animal welfare
• Reading Today, BBC News, BBC Radio Berkshire, In Food, Heart Radio Berkshire, Foodbev Media, GB News, BBC Radio Scotland, and more than 100 other radio outlets provided further coverage of the 100% British chocolate made by masters’ student Maha Khan (Agriculture, Policy and Development), with Professor Carol Wagstaff (Agrifood Futures). From our story: 100% British chocolate bar

Business and society:

• Jon Foster-Pedley, Dean of Henley Business School Africa, was quoted by Bizcommunity, Pressportal, Ghanamma News, Modern Mining and MSN on the school’s partnerships with industry.
• Financial Remedies highlighted an article from Professor Thérèse Callus (Law) about the efficiency of divorce laws.
• Dr Melissa Carr (Henley Business School) was quoted by The Times about apprenticeship opportunities.

#PlanetPartners: working with global partners to protect the environment

• Professor Richard Allan (Meteorology) was quoted by NBC News, Mediakompeten and Memesita about UK drought.
• Daily Mail, The Traveler, MSN reported on work by Professor Paul Williams (Meteorology) on how climate change is affecting air turbulence.
• Dr Jess Neumann (Geography) was quoted by Daily Star, MSN and BritBrief on the national mobile text alert. From our expert comment: Climate experts comment on Emergency Alert for wildfire risk
• Dr Neumann was quoted by The i Paper (republished by Head Topics) about potential flood risks once the UK’s drought ends.
• Dr Jeff Da Costa (Geography, pictured) was interviewed by Times Radio (from 17 mins in) about ongoing UK hosepipe bans.
• Dr Akshay Deoras (Meteorology) was quoted by Financial Express, Magzter, and DailyHunt on the impacts of El Niño.
• The Telegraph (republished by Yahoo News, MSN, and AOL) quoted Dr Laura Baker (Meteorology) on the UK's 1976 drought.
• Visiting Professor Liz Bentley (Meteorology) spoke to BBC Radio Berkshire about record-breaking temperatures. From our expert comment: Reading records second hottest day in 118 years
• The Reading Chronicle, Reading Today, Wokingham Today, and Brewers Journal, MSN and Yahoo News highlighted ‘Show Your Stripes’ lager inspired by Prof Ed Hawkins (Meteorology).
• Dr Simone Varotto (Henley Business School) was quoted by Sana, Euro News, Business Mag, The Europe Observatory, Europe Says, and others on Europe’s wildfires.
• The Guardian, Construction News, Career Ahead, Europe Says, Inkl, WDC News, and Byteseu mentioned research by Dr Alba Fuertes (Construction Management) into heat risks on construction sites. From our story: Construction sites are not ready for extreme heat
• The Sunday Times quoted Regius Professor Hannah Cloke (Meteorology) on reducing household water use by using rainwater and greywater, and by The i Paper and Head Topics on the effectiveness of reservoirs.
• Dr Xiangbo Feng (Meteorology) was quoted by Gulf Times about the causes of Typhoon Dolphin.

Other coverage:

• The Times featured an obituary for Robert Hunt-Grubbe, former cybernetics researcher.
• Basingstoke Gazette and Independent Catholic News reported on the further success of A-level students who will be joining the University in September.
• Dr Julia Kukulies (Meteorology) was profiled by Times Call, The Daily Camera, and Hometown Weekly (republished by Europe Says).
• BBC Radio Berkshire reported on a recent concert at the University’s Great Hall.

Alumni:

• Blu Radio highlighted research by Diana Obando, Psychology graduate.
• 21^st Century Chronicle mentioned that Abubakar Alhaji, former Nigerian diplomat, studied at Reading.
• Henley Business School graduate Lee Cowie is CEO of Accesso, reports Complete AI Training.
• Abigail Rappaport, Henley Business School graduate and COO of AccountsIQ, was listed by Computer Weekly in the 2026 Most Influential Women in UK Technology.
• Business Explainer profiled Lerato Ntuli, Manager of Lanlaagte Terminal and Henley Business School graduate.