Reading in the news - Thu 29 Jan

Health and wellbeing:

LBC Online, Manchester Evening News (republished by MSN) and Science Media Centre quoted Professor Ian Jones (Biomedical Sciences) in an article about the low risk of a global spread of Nipah virus, following an outbreak in India.

Reading Today mentions that Dr Mark Dallas (Pharmacy) has been awarded a grant by the CO Research Trust to explore the effects of pollution on the brain.

Further coverage of research by Professor Julie Lovegrove and Dr Ian Givens (both Food and Nutritional Sciences) on the risks of low vitamin D levels in Health Medicine Network, Nauka W Polsce and Zdrowie. From our story: Vitamin D deficiency linked to respiratory infection risk 

The Oakland Post references Reading research, led by Professor Netta Weinstein, on the benefits of solitude for mental wellbeing.

Food and farming:

Ghana Webbers and The Chronicle Ghana cover research from Professor Gunter Kuhnle (Food and Nutritional Sciences) on salt levels in takeaways. From our story: Salty facts: takeaways have more salt than labels claim 

#PlanetPartners: working with global partners to protect the environment

Dr Jess Neumann (Geography and Environmental Science) spoke to LBC Radio about flooding, in the aftermath of Storm Chandra. She also spoke to BBC Radio Berkshire about flooding events – the impact on local communities, how they should respond and how climate change is causing more extreme weather. Dr Neumann was also quoted in a Sheffield Telegraph (print) article about the risk to properties of flooding.

Wessex County Times (print) reports on school students attending a workshop on volcanic hazards, led by Dr Stuart Black (Geography and Environmental Science).

Professor Nicolas Bellouin (Meteorology) co-wrote an article for EdEn on the impact of aeroplane contrails on climate change.

The climate stripes, created by Professor Ed Hawkins (Meteorology), feature on Europe Says, in an article about the Scottish government’s draft Climate Change Plan.

Business and society:

Professor Jo Phoenix (Law) was interviewed by LBC Radio for a piece on sexual assaults in hospitals.

BBC Radio Berkshire (approx. 13 mins in) did an outside broadcast from the University’s Department of Film, Theatre and Television about the new Glitch play, which focuses on the Post Office Horizon scandal.

Heritage and culture:

Further coverage of research by Dr Annemieke Milks (Archaeology), on the discovery of wooden tools dating back 430,000 years, is featured by BBC Newsround, Archaeology Magazine, Live Science, The Business Standard, The United News of Bangladesh, Inkl, Yahoo News, Art News, Ground News and many more. From our story: Earliest evidence of wooden tools used by humans 

Newbury Today covers the news that Reading Museum has received a grant to display its collection of items from the Roman town of Silchester, mentioning research from Professor Mike Fulford (Archaeology).

The Reading Chronicle (print) quotes Professor Gabor Thomas (Archaeology) about new funding for outreach work about the archaeology and history of Cookham Abbey.

Chester Nub News and The Chester Blog mention that Professor Kate Williams (History) will be attending the Chester Literature Festival this year.

Other coverage:

Water Magazine reports that Visiting Professor Kathryn Brown has been appointed as the new science director at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.

Time News reports that a year 12 student did a two-week research placement at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS), based at the University of Reading, and worked alongside Sadie Bartholomew (NCAS).

Alumni:

Obinna Ufudo, graduate and Chevening Scholar at the University, has been named a Non-Executive Director at leading Pan-African investment company, Heirs Holdings, reports The Calabash Newspaper and B&FT Online.