Museum curators keen to put their research on display

When the Arts and Humanities Research Council announced the winners of its New Generation Thinkers scheme, which helps early-career researchers turn their ideas into BBC radio and TV programmes, Danielle Thom’s name stood out.

This was not because of Thom’s research interests—18th-century prints—but rather her institutional affiliation. She is an assistant curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the first New Generation Thinker to be based at a museum since the scheme began five years ago.

She was able to apply to the programme because the AHRC classes the V&A as an independent research organisation, allowing it to apply for funding and get involved in postgraduate training.