Applications to AHRC/BBC Radio 3 New Generation Thinkers 2012 have now closed.
Thank you to everybody who has applied, successful applicants shortlisted to attend the workshops with BBC Radio 3 production staff have now been contacted.
Unsuccessful applicants will not be contacted.
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Do you want to tell the world about your work?
In June of this year BBC Radio 3 and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) announced the 10 academics selected for the inaugural New Generation Thinkers Scheme – the culmination of a pilot talent scheme for emerging academics from the arts and humanities with a passion for communicating the excitement of modern scholarship to a wider audience and who have an interest in broader cultural debate. The announcement attracted widespread media interest.
The academics selected were chosen from a group of 57 finalists who attended a series of day-long workshops at the BBC exploring the key to making scholarly research into good programmes. They’ve gone on to work with BBC producers to develop their broadcasting ideas, contributed to Radio 3’s Free Thinking festival, made regular appearances on Radio 3’s arts and ideas programme Night Waves and pitched ideas for full length programmes based on their research.
Now the AHRC and BBC Radio 3 are looking for applications for the New Generation Thinkers of 2012.
Up to sixty successful applicants will have a chance to develop their programme-making ideas with experienced BBC producers at a series of dedicated workshops and, of these up to ten will become Radio 3’s resident New Generation Thinkers. They will benefit from a unique opportunity to develop their own programmes for BBC Radio 3 and a chance to regularly appear on air.
This year the New Generation Thinkers scheme will also be joined by The Review Show on BBC TWOand the BBC Scotland Arts TV team who will be looking to develop New Generation Thinkers and their ideas into arts television.
Radio 3 and its programmes Night Waves, the Verb, the Essay and the Sunday Feature has provided a platform for debate and commentary from scholars across the world. You could now join them on air.
BBC Scotland Arts produces The Review Show and The Culture Show on BBC TWO, Imagine on BBC ONE, in addition to documentaries for all BBC network channels and programming in Scotland.
Scholars who applied to last year’s scheme are welcome – and encouraged - to apply again, even if they made it to the finals.
We welcome applications from researchers working in all areas of the arts and humanities. However, we particularly welcome ideas from researchers working in the area of the history and philosophy of science.
Please note that no one research area will get preferential treatment over another. All applications will be assessed on their own merits against the application criteria.
Who's Eligible?
To apply for the New Generation Thinkers scheme, you must be
1. A UK resident over 18 currently working or studying at a UK university and working within one of the disciplinary domains of the AHRC.
You will be either:
a) under-taking an arts or humanities postgraduate or postdoctoral research project or working as a postgraduate or postdoctoral member of an arts or humanities research project.
OR
b). Within eight years of the award of your PhD.
OR
c). Within six years of your first academic appointment.
2. Anyone who applied for last year’s scheme is free to apply again except the previously selected researchers who became the final 10 New Generation Thinkers in 2011.
3. Employees of the BBC and the AHRC are not eligible to apply.
Applications to AHRC/BBC Radio 3 New Generation Thinkers 2012 have now closed.
Thank you to everybody who has applied, successful applicants shortlisted to attend the workshops with BBC Radio 3 production staff have now been contacted.
Unsuccessful applicants will not be contacted.
1. Complete the online application form which will include the two questions set out below.
2. From these entries up to 60 people will be selected by the judges to attend one of a series of BBC workshops developing programme ideas from academics.
3. Up to ten successful applicants will be chosen from a pitching process at each of these workshops.
The Questions
The questions below are designed to be a chance for you to show that you can reach a broad audience. Listen to BBC Radio 3 to get a sense of the style in which regular broadcasters might answer.
A. Describe how your research could make an engaging and stimulating programme or up to 45 minutes for a non-academic audience. It could be a debate, a report, a scripted essay – or some other imaginative format (250 words)
B. Review a new film, play, novel, book of poetry, exhibition or other cultural event that you’ve recently attended. It must be on a topic separate from your research. Write the review as if you were going to read it on air as a short essay for BBC Radio 3. (250 words)
The Workshops
Those chosen from the initial applications will be invited to attend a workshop in March 2012 at one of three locations: London, Glasgow and Manchester.
Each day-long workshop will consist of an introduction to programme-making; a chance to hear from a regular Radio 3 contributor who is also an academic; a meeting with producers from Radio 3 arts programmes and from The Review Show on BBC TWO; an opportunity to develop your own programme idea - and finally a pitching session for a place amongst the final ten.
Judges for the application process will include:
- Matthew Dodd, Head of Speech and Presentation for BBC Radio 3
- Rick Rylance, Chief Executive of the AHRC
- Jake Gilmore, AHRC Communications Manager
- Dr. Philip Pothen, AHRC Head of Communications
- Kirsty Pope, Producer, New Generation Thinkers
- Tanya Hudson, Executive Producer, The Review Show/BBC Scotland Arts TV
- Professor Greg Walker, Regius Professor of Rhetoric and English Literature at the University of Edinburgh
Judges may be subject to change.
FAQ's New Generation Thinkers (pdf format 24kb)
Terms and Conditions for New Generation Thinkers (pdf format 31kb)
Succesful Applicants
The ten successful applicants chosen from the workshops will become Radio 3’s New Generation Thinkers for 2012.
1. They will work with the BBC to develop their own programme-idea for BBC Radio 3.
2. Be invited to appear on air in BBC Radio 3’s New Generation Thinkers regular slots.
3. Have a chance to become a guest-speaker at a New Generation Thinkers event at Radio 3’s Free Thinking festival of ideas in November 2012.
4. Have a chance to make a short taster film for BBC Scotland Arts TV.
If you have any queries please email ngt@ahrc.ac.uk.