Reading in the news - Mon 14 Apr

Sustainable farming: Dr Paola Tosi (Crop Science) is quoted by BBC 1 London Radio, BBC 1 West Radio, BBC 1 Wales Radio, BBC 1 South West Radio, BBC 1 Scotland Radio, BBC 1 South East Radio, BBC 1 East Midlands Radio, BBC 1 East Radio, BBC 1 West Midlands Radio, BBC 1 Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Radio,  BBC Parliament Radio, BBC News 24 Radio, and more emphasising the importance of soil recovery and drought mitigation for sustainable farming.

#UniForReading: our role as a civic university  

• highlights the University as a key partner in efforts to support the local community, with the council leader praising collaborations that strengthen services and help with challenging financial times.
• reports that the Rotary clubs of Reading have provided a multi-sensory dementia support toolkit to Braeburn Lodge, originally co-developed by Professor Rachel McCrindle (Computer and Human Interaction).

#PlanetPartners: working with global partners to protect the environment 

• features Dr Olivia Haas (Meteorology), who explained that UK wildfires typically occur in spring due to dry vegetation. Republished by and
• and highlight the Global Insect Threat-Response Synthesis (GLiTRS) project, which includes the University among its collaborators. From our news story: Some insects are declining what's happening to the 99%?.
• cites a University study revealing that some "super rats" are resistant to conventional poison, highlighting challenges in effective pest control.
• Professor Mathew Owens (Meteorology) is quoted by , warning that a solar superstorm similar to a past Miyake event could strike and cause major disruption on Earth.
• and report that Professor Sarah Dance (Meteorology) at the University raised concerns about the opacity of AI-driven weather forecasting models.

Health and wellbeing:

• reports that Dr Alex Bye (Pharmacy) has received Springboard funding from the Academy of Medical Sciences to support his early-career research work.
• highlights 2015 research from the University, which found that chewing gum can help disrupt unwanted repetitive songs by interfering with the brain's auditory memory.

Food and farming:

• reports on The UK Dairy Carbon Network Project, funded by the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and co-led by the University.

Heritage and culture:

• highlights Professor Andrew Mangham (English Literature) co-authoring research on "Empathism," a literary movement focused on emotional connection, emerging since 2020.
• reports on a study from King’s College London and the University, which shows that eating a handful of blueberries daily has positive health benefits.

Business and society:

• reports on a research project titled "Adaptation of the labor market in the conditions of membership in the eurozone," co-led by the University.
• BBC Radio 1 South interviewed Dr Melissa Carr (Henley Business School), who discussed the rise in return-to-office mandates by companies like Amazon and major London banks.
• BBC Radio Berkshire and BBC Radio Oxford broadcast an interview with Dr Rita Fontinha (Henley Business School) about the efficiency of working from home.

Other coverage:

• and announce a collaboration enabling two English-taught law programmes at Neapolis University, with degrees awarded by the University.
• In an article about censorship on campuses, reports that Robert Van de Noort, Vice-Chancellor of the University, spoke at a 2024 seminar at the Houses of Parliament, in support of freedom of speech and diversity of thought.
• highlights a Reading University student who expresses honour at being selected to represent the West Indies as part of their rugby revival.
• names the Museum of English Rural Life café among the UK’s top 50 museum cafés, on the University’s London Road campus. From our story: MERL cafe is in Guardian top 50.
• highlights Dr Jamie Thompson (Scientist), who the Linnean Society of London has awarded the Irene Manton Prize for the best doctoral thesis in botany. From our story: Evolutionary secrets of flowering plants earn top prize.

Alumni:

• pays tribute to Peter Lovesey, acclaimed crime novelist and University alumnus, who studied English. Republished by , , and .
• , and report that Matteo Taglioni, who holds an MBA from Henley Business School, has taken on new responsibilities at Kyndryl.
• reports that Nikiwe Tanga, who completed her MBA at Henley Business School Africa, has been appointed as Chief Legal Officer at MTN Group Fintech.
• reviews a biography of Menotti Lerro, a writer who got a master's degree at the University in "The Body and Representation."
• highlights the promotion of Jamie McKean, a law graduate from the University, to Policy Adviser – Sustainable Logistics at BIFA.
• highlights that Russell Shackleton, who holds an Executive MBA from Henley Business School, will speak at the online Director’s Role and Responsibilities Training Course. Republished by , , and .