Reading in the news - Thu 14 Jan

COVID-19: expert comment on the coronavirus pandemic

• Dr Simon Clarke (Biological Sciences) spoke to talkRadio about the rollout of the vaccine and lockdown impact; BBC Radio Berkshire about rising case numbers in Reading, despite the national restrictions; and Russia Today on yesterday's record daily death toll.
• Dr Clarke is quoted in (print also), (print also), , The Daily Mail (print) and LBC Radio on new research from PHE that suggests beating COVID-19 will give immunity for up to 5 months; and in for a piece on hospital admissions in the south-east.

#WeAreTogether: Reading's work to tackle the coronavirus crisis.      

• and report that Reading is one of the universities to waiver halls fees for students until the end of the current lockdown on 22^nd February.

Trump impeachment: Dr Mark Shanahan (Politics) spoke to talkRadio (and again) about the vote to impeach President Donald Trump.

Big freeze: Comment from PhD student Simon Lee (Meteorology) features in for an article on the forecast of freezing temperatures and snowfall for the north of England due to the current atmospheric conditions. .

Mosquito protection: , , and cover a study Reading scientists were involved in which found that bacteria carried by mosquitoes may protect them against pesticides that are designed to control their numbers. Dr Alejandra Perotti (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology) is quoted. .

Other coverage

• Prof Tom Oliver (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology) spoke to about the report by a group of scientists which states that the planet is facing a "ghastly future of mass extinction, declining health and climate-disruption upheavals".
• Prof Andrew Kakabadse (Henley Business School) has written an article for on how research has shown that governance failings are putting universities at risk of collapse.
• also features an article by Prof James Walker (Henley Business School) on the subject of online teaching.
• Dr John Scholar (English Literature) has written a blog for on James Joyce's Ulysses.
• Dr Chris Scott (Meteorology) spoke to BBC Radio Berkshire about some wine and vines that are returning to Earth after spending a year on the international space station, and how their time in space may have effected the taste and growth.
• features an article on people using lockdown as an opportunity to turn their creative skills into a business - the article references research from Henley Business School on side hustles.
• A Who Do You Think You Are Magazine (print) article looking at the historical development of urban dairies cites the Museum of English Rural Life as somewhere for further research possibilities.