Reading in the news - Tue 27 Jul

Climate Summit:  in an open letter, Professor Robert Van de Noort, Vice-Chancellor and other heads of leading climate and education institutions, call for action to boost the UK's education on climate change, as the University launches plans for a Climate Education Summit on September 15.

Professor Andrew Charlton-Perez (Meteorology) spoke to BBC Radio Berkshire about the call to action, and about climate change education.

Read the full text of the letter, and read our news story about calls for improved climate education.

#PlanetPartners: Reading鈥檚 global work for a sustainable future

• Professor Rowan Sutton (Atmospheric Science) comments on new research on climate change and heatwaves, covered by The (also in print), The , , , , and .
• Dr Jess Neumann (Geography and Environmental Science) is quoted in The and on intense Summer rainfall leading to floods; and on the London tube station floods.
• PhD researcher Chloe Brimicombe (Meteorology) is quoted in on heatwave warnings in Southern England.
• Dr Linda Speight (Geography/Environmental Science) is quoted in on changes in urban areas to prevent flooding hazards. 
• Professor Richard Allan (Meteorology) is quoted in The Times (in print) on cities being at risk of flooding. 
• Dr Liz Stephens (Geography) spoke to about infrastructures at risk during the floods.
• Professor Chris Hilson (Law) spoke to about his work in climate change law.
• PhD researcher Jeff Da Costa (Environmental Science) is quoted in on the European floods.

COVID-19: expert comment on the pandemic 

• Dr Simon Clarke (Biological Sciences) is quoted in The and The in articles about interpreting infection rates; about long-term trends in COVID data; spoke to and The about drops in infection rates; and was quoted in many regional radio stations about UK restrictions being lifted. 

Other Coverage:

• , and further cover Reading research (Meteorology) into the use of drones to deliver electrical charge into clouds to encourage rainfall in the Middle East. Read our news story on a recent visit to the University by the United Arab Emirate Ambassador to the UK to see the research.
• announces UoR as a supporting partner in the Housing Technology Guide To Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning.
• The International Cocoa Quarantine Centre (Agriculture) is mentioned in a new book about quarantine, Until Proven Safe, and is mentioned in a review in the . 
• mentions UoR research on medical CBD to treat epilepsy.  
• reports that UoR is working in partnership with John Deere to create an online farming simulator game using precision farming. 
• and The report that Viridian Therapeutics appoints Krisitan Humer as their new Chief Financial Officer, who is a UoR Accounting and Economics graduate.