Reading in the news - Thu 6 Feb

#UniForReading: our role as a civic university

• reports that Professor Susanne Clausen (Art) presented a petition to Reading Borough Council to save a Reading arts space.
• features Dr Keith Arundale (Henley Business School) advocating for government investment in Reading’s growing tech hub.

Health and wellbeing:

• features Professor Philip Beaman (Psychology) on how songs become earworms.
• highlights a study by Dr Thomas Nyman (Psychology) on the limited effectiveness of digital wellbeing tools for people on therapy waiting lists.

Food and farming:

• reports on a project with Dr Elizabeth Rowe (Agri-Food Economics and Marketing) to investigate dual-purpose poultry breeds. 

Business and society:

• and feature research from Henley Business School on the rapid expansion of cryptocurrency.
• features Dr Chris Dalton (Management Learning) discussing the potential of generative AI in business and its risks.
• Good meetings need a constructive devil’s advocate, writes Professor Benjamin Laker (Henley Business School) in .
• features Professor Marko Milanovic (Law) on the legality of US involvement in Gaza.
• marks Henley Business School Africa’s 2,000 graduates in 2024.

#PlanetPartners: working with global partners to protect the environment

• features Reading University Boat Club’s efforts to be sustainable, after winning an environmental sustainability award at the British Rowing Awards. 

• features Professor Ed Hawkins (Meteorology) on the history of climate change impacts.
• reports on Reading research about climate change causing bumpier flights. Republished by , , , . 
• reports that David Duarte Crespo, an undergraduate zoology student, has developed the Crespo scale of dangerous animals.
• , , highlight a warning from Professor Jon Robson (Meteorology) on the potential collapse of the Atlantic current that warms the British isles.
• In Professor Chris Hilson (Law) critiques the UK's reliance on unproven technology to mitigate Heathrow's climate impact.
• quotes Dr Akshay Deoras (Meteorology) on pre-summer temperatures in Telangana .
• Dr Jess Neumann (Geography and Environmental Sciences) was interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live on investment in flood defences. BBC Radio Oxford and BBC Radio Berkshire spoke to Professor Hannah Cloke (Geography/Meteorology).

Culture and heritage:

• features Eimear McBride, mentioning being Creative Fellow with the Beckett Research Centre at Reading.

Alumni:

• , The Times, , , publish obituaries for Welsh author Gwen Watkins, who studied English literature at Reading.
• highlights former MPs, including Penny Mordaunt, campaigning in Winnersh for Conservative candidate Nick Kilby ahead of a council by-election. 
• highlights musician Simon Attwell’s journey from Freshlyground to pursuing an MBA at Henley Business School Africa, inspired by Henley MBA graduate Barry van Zyl.
• highlights Gorete Figueira (Henley Business School) a professional executive and leadership coach.