A pilot scheme launched by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and BBC Radio 3 to find the next generation of public thinkers from within the academic community has received over 1000 applications.  Launched in November 2010 at Radio 3’s Free Thinking festival of ideas the scheme has generated a high level of interest. Emerging academics with a passion for communicating the excitement of modern scholarship to a wider audience were invited to apply to the scheme.

Over the last few weeks a judging panel short-listed applicants, whilst a final series of workshop and pitching sessions will shortly be used to choose the ten academics who will become Radio 3’s resident New Generation Thinkers. They will benefit from a unique opportunity to develop their own ideas for BBC Radio 3 and will have the chance to appear on-air in special New Generation Thinkers debates and sessions.

Those chosen from the initial applications will attend one of a series of BBC led workshops in March 2011.  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; an opportunity to develop original programme ideas - and finally a pitching session to win a place amongst the final ten.

The panel of judges for the application process included BBC Radio 3 commissioners, AHRC directors and academics.

Roger Wright, Controller BBC Radio 3 & Director BBC Proms says: “Radio 3 has a strong record in its support for emerging talent through the New Generation Artists scheme for musicians. There is a wealth of fascinating research being done by academics in universities and the exciting New Generation Thinkers initiative is a pilot scheme to help BBC Radio 3 bring new voices from within universities alongside the many other disciplines we feature and to a wider audience.”

Professor Rick Rylance, Chief Executive of the AHRC says: “The AHRC has an active arts and humanities research base of around 16,000 in the UK so the fact we received over 1000 applications for this opportunity shows that there is a real hunger and passion out there from researchers to talk about their work to a wider audience.”

In the last nine months BBC Radio 3 has broadcast programmes presented by academics on subjects as varied as 16th century Scottish history, Johnsonian linguistics, Turkish literature and the history of astronomy. Its daily arts and ideas programme Night Waves has provided a platform for debate and commentary from scholars across the world as well as thinkers from a non-academic background.

ENDS

For further information contact:

Media Contact: Jake Gilmore, AHRC Communications Manager; T: 01793 41 6021,

E:  j.gilmore@ahrc.ac.uk

The judging panel consisted of the following people;

• Matthew Dodd, Head of Speech programming BBC Radio 3
• Professor Rick Rylance, Chief Executive of the AHRC
• Dr. Philip Pothen, AHRC Head of Communications
• Kirsty Pope, Producer, New Generation Thinkers
• Professor Jonathan Bate, Professor of Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature at Warwick University
• Abigail Appleton, BBC Learning Commissioning Editor 

More details can we found via the link below http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/FundingOpportunities/Pages/NewGenerationThinkers.aspx

 Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC): Each year the AHRC provides approximately £112 million from the Government to support research and postgraduate study in the arts and humanities, from languages and law, archaeology and English literature to design and creative and performing arts. In any one year, the AHRC makes approximately 700 research awards and around 1,300 postgraduate awards. Awards are made after a rigorous peer review process, to ensure that only applications of the highest quality are funded. The quality and range of research supported by this investment of public funds not only provides social and cultural benefits but also contributes to the economic success of the UK. www.ahrc.ac.uk