Hitting the headlines - University staff in the news
Thursday, 14 February 2013
Dr Faustina Hwang appeared on ITV News talking about her research into combating malnutrition in older people
Over the past few months colleagues from across the University have continued to help raise our profile through the national media. Here are some of the highlights...
Professor Richard Tiffin guests on the BBC Sunday Politics Show
In December Professor Richard Tiffin talked on the Sunday Politics Show about the factors driving rising food prices in the UK this Christmas, and why these relatively small changes are dwarfed by the impact in the developing world.
How could 2012's high rainfall impact on the nutritional value of our crops?
Professor Mike Gooding, Head of the School of Agriculture and Development, spoke on BBC Radio 4's Farming Today about the impact that 2012's high rainfall has had on the nutritional value of our fruit and vegetables. This story was then picked up by a number of other media outlets and Professor Gooding appeared on: BBC News TV channel, BBC South Today, the Jeremy Vine show on BBC Radio 2, and featured in bulletins on BBC Radio 4 and 5. The Daily Telegraph also published on article on their website - Bad weather 'could cause less tasty and healthy fruit and veg'
Following on from Professor Mike Gooding's appearances Dr Carol Wagstaff, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Food and Nutritional sciences, appeared on a number of BBC radio stations to talk about the impact of high rainfall on the nutritional value of fruit and vegetables. These included BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Three Counties radio.
Why are we still waiting for Godot?
As a world centre for Samuel Beckett research, in January media spoke to University of Reading experts about the 60th anniversary of Beckett's play 'Waiting for Godot'. Emeritus Professor Jim Knowlson, a friend of Beckett and his official biographer, was featured on the BBC News website talking about how the play has grown from a tiny performance in Paris to a West End Hit.
Professor Anna Macmullan, who is leading a new Arts and Humanities Research Council funded project to examine Beckett's impact on modern theatre practice in the UK and Ireland, spoke to the daily Telegraph and the interview can be found here.
Reading archaeologists find evidence that stone-age hunters manipulated the environment long before farming started
7,500 year old ‘tools' were discovered by University of Reading researchers at a threatened archaeological site on the Severn Estuary. Comments from Professor Martin Bell, Head of the University's Department of Archaeology, leading the Severn Estuary project were featured in an article on BBC website, and the story was also featured in the South Wales Argus and the Reading Post.
Dr Rebecca Rist appears on Sky News - Sunrise with Eamonn Holmes
Dr Rebecca Rist from Department of History, and an expert in the history of the Papacy, spoke to Eamonn Holmes on Sky News to give her views on the pope's resignation. She was also quoted widely in the media including on the Sky News website.
Dr Faustina Hwang's malnutrition work featured on ITV News
Dr Faustina Hwang, from the School of Systems Engineering, explained the NANA system, a touchscreen system to measure the diet, health and wellbeing of older people, developed in part at the University of Reading. The story led the ITV Meridian regional news, and was also used during TV news bulletins throughout the day.
What has happened to al-Qaeda since Osama bin Laden's death?
Al-Qaeda expert Dr Christina Hellmich from the Department of Politics and International Relations discussed the roots and reach of Islamist terrorism from Afghanistan to Africa with historian William Dalrymple and novelist Nadeem Aslam on BBC Radio 4's Start the Week. Listen to the interview >>>
Professor Steve Mithen on BBC's Culture Show
Professor Mithen, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for International and External engagement and expert in early prehistory, appeared on the BBC’s flagship arts programme on Saturday 9 February, commenting on a new British Museum exhibition on prehistoric art. Watch 'Ice Age Art: A Culture Show Special' >>>
Working with the media can be a great way to help raise your and the University's profile, so please get in touch with the Press Office if you would like to know more about how we can help publicise your work - email media@reading.ac.uk or visit the Press Office website. Also, if you have organised media appearances yourself, the team would love to hear about it.