A St Andrews academic has been named as one of the brightest minds in the UK.
Dr Sarah Dillon, a senior lecturer in contemporary literature in the university’s School of English, is one of only two researchers in Scotland to be hailed as a New Generation Thinker after a nationwide search.
She joins just nine other academics recognised by the BBC Radio 3 and Arts and Humanities Research Council initiative.
It aims to find the academic broadcasters of the future the brightest minds who have the potential to turn groundbreaking ideas into fascinating radio programmes.
Dr Dillon, an expert in famous literary “mad women” beat hundreds of applicants in a six-month process.
Delighted by her selection, she said: “It’s going to be a busy and exciting year. I’ll be on a steep learning curve getting to grips with a media world very different to academia but I can’t wait.”
The 10 winners will spend a year working with radio presenters and producers to develop their research and ideas into broadcasts.
Dr Dillon will make her debut on Night Waves in June and will be invited to make regular contributions to the network throughout the year.
Her early work focused on literature and philosophy, while her research concentrates on the relationship between contemporary literature and science.
She has interviewed scientists across Scotland in order to uncover the secrets of literature’s influence on science as part of her What Scientists Read project.