Times Higher Education Awards shortlist

The University of Reading is shortlisted in two categories for this year's Times Higher Education (THE) Awards, announced recently (1 September).

• Research Project of the Year: STEM – Paul Williams, Nancy Nichols, and Cathie Wells (Meteorology and Mathematics)
• Outstanding Technician of the Year – Hong Lin (Senior technician)

Widely recognised as the ‘Oscars of higher education’, being short-listed for a Times Higher Education Award is a great endorsement of the work of an individual and their institution. They cover the full range of university activity - both academic and support services, from front-line staff through to all levels of leadership and management.

Professor Paul Williams’, Professor Nancy Nichols’, and PhD student Cathie Wells’ work on reducing aircraft emissions by improving transatlantic flight routes is ground-breaking. The team used a mathematical algorithm to calculate the optimum routes between European and USA destinations. They found that the routes traditionally used by planes, flying along an invisible motorway in the sky, were up to 16.2% longer than the optimised routes.

For flights between London Heathrow and New York JFK airports alone, this resulted in 6.7 million kg of unnecessary CO2 emissions in total, over a period of three months in 2019 and 2020.

By hitching a ride on the jet stream, transatlantic flights could save fuel and reduce emissions. As such, greater route flexibility for aircraft could deliver significant and immediate emissions cuts, with little associated financial cost. In fact, the study was cited by air-traffic controllers as evidence to permanently abolish the old transatlantic routes. Since 1 March 2022, all flights at and below 33,000 feet have benefitted from this greater route flexibility.

Hong Lin is an outstanding technician, who is in high demand from research groups at the University of Reading. Hong is the go-to person for advice on several techniques, including cell culture, radio-ligand binding, immunostaining, and western blot, as well as general laboratory practice. She is also championing the role of technicians and raising the profile of the profession among students and colleagues.

During 2020 and 2021, Hong Lin was involved in two major breakthroughs: The first cannabinoid-derived medicine to become fully available to the NHS, and a COVID-19 therapy with the potential to be considered for clinical trials, which uses antibodies produced in llamas at the university’s farm.

Hong is passionate about the visibility of the technician’s role, a particularly of technicians from underrepresented groups. So, although modest and most comfortable working behind the scenes, last year she challenged herself, being interviewed for the UKRI 101 Jobs that Change the World Campaign.

Without skilled technicians acting as a linchpin, working behind the scenes, and promoting quality in research, universities would cease to have a working environment that is conducive to success.

Professor Parveen Yaqoob, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading, said: "Congratulations to Paul and Hong! We are delighted to have been nominated in the THE Awards, once again, and whether or not we win an award this year, it is an opportunity to celebrate the excellent work and achievements of our colleagues.

“The University of Reading seeks to bring about positive change in the world. Both Paul and Hong have made significant contributions in that respect and should be justly proud of themselves. Their work sits in the context of an active, lively, and successful research community, here at the University of Reading.”