We are extremely pleased to announce a very special source of pride for CTIS and Manchester, and for the translation studies community whose national and international profile is bound to receive a boost in the coming weeks and months.

Dr.Sue-Ann Harding, a former MA and PhD student of CTIS (PhD jointly supervised with Russian Studies), currently a Research Associate within the School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures, has been selected as one of only 10 academics across the entire country to win the title of ‘AHRC and BBC Radio 3 New Generation Thinkers 2012’.


As the AHRC website explains, “Producers from BBC Radio 3, BBC Television Arts and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) have scoured the UK to find the brightest, early-career academics who have the potential to turn their ground-breaking ideas into sensational broadcasting”. Hundreds of applications were received for this competition. The selection process took six months to complete, reducing the number down to 50, and then to the top 10.

“The ten winners will now become Radio 3’s second generation of resident New Generation Thinkers, receiving top-level mentoring and advice on how to develop their ideas into viable programme propositions and spending time shadowing the work of presenters and producers alike.  They will make their debut appearance on BBC Radio 3’s arts and ideas programme Night Waves, broadcast Mondays to Thursdays 10.00-10.45pm, from Monday 18 June talking about a particular idea that has been inspired by their research.
The New Generation Thinkers will also be invited to make regular appearances on BBC Radio 3 to discuss their work and the world of ideas, and will deliver talks at BBC Radio 3’s annual Free Thinking Festival of Ideas, at the Sage, Gateshead in November 2012.  Also for the first time, BBC Radio 3 New Generation Thinkers Scheme has partnered with BBC Television Arts to provide an opportunity for the New Generation Thinkers to develop their ideas for television.”

Congratulations to Sue-Ann, who is clearly an outstanding researcher and communicator – one of the best among her generation.