Broadcast
If being interviewed on Radio 4’s’Today’ programme is the acme of public recognition, having your name and research mentioned on the BBC’s topical news programme ‘Have I Got News For You’ must come a very close second.
Jacqui Bealing, Senior Press Officer
This month the views of two highly respected Sussex academics contributed to the irreverent humour of ‘HIGNFY’.
Professor Dave Goulson’s knowledge about bumble bees, as evidenced in his new book, A Sting in the Tail, became the basis of a quick-fire quiz on bees for the contestants (3 May). Fingers on buzzers! Unfortunately, no reference was made to Dave’s new job at Sussex.
The following week, prolific science policy commentator Professor James Wilsdon’s tweets and Guardian blog (5 May) about the outrage over Prince Andrew being elected a fellow of the Royal Society amused the team enough for one particular comment to be repeated on air (10 May): “There are plenty of institutions with a royal history that aren’t spending the 21st century with their heads lodged quite so firmly up the Windsor arse.” Sadly, no Sussex name check this time either.
Meanwhile, at the more sober end of the spectrum (and most definitely flying the Sussex flag), Professor Michael Farthing’s speech on how to stamp out scientific misconduct was reported in the Times Higher Education (16 May), as were Professor Louise Morley’s views on the perpetuation of male domination in academia (16 May).
On Radio 4’s ‘Costing the Earth’ (7 May), Professor Francis Ratnieks talked about the controversy over banning pesticides, while Dr Mika Peck told Radio Sussex (18 May) how his paddle-boarding adventure down the Amazon will raise money for conservation.
For the New Scientist (17 May), Dr Daniel Bor wrote about theories of consciousness and how his fascination with the brain was sparked by witnessing his father’s stroke.
And for the Argus (20 May), Dr Darren Baskill said he was joining the campaign to protect the “dark skies” because of his love for astronomy. “The joy is getting observations through a telescope and discovering something that no one else knows. And it’s your secret until you tell the world about it.”