{{short description|Welsh technology journalist and broadcaster}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Gareth Mitchell | image = Digital single market conference on the free movement of data Gareth Mitchell (35980418235).jpg | caption = Gareth Mitchell in Tallinn (2017) | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|8|15|df=yes}}<ref name="birthyear">{{Cite web |title=40th birthday tweet by @GarethM |url=https://twitter.com/GarethM/status/21222052096 |date=2010-08-15 |access-date=2019-10-25}}</ref> | birth_place = Eastleigh, England | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date then birth date) --> | occupation = Technology broadcaster, science communicator | website = [https://twitter.com/GarethM Twitter], [https://www.facebook.com/gareth.mitchellbbc Facebook (official)] | module = {{ Listen| embed=yes |filename= Gareth Mitchell voice.flac |title= Gareth Mitchell's voice |type= speech |description= recorded January 2014 }} }}
'''Gareth Mitchell''' is a Welsh technology journalist, lecturer and former broadcast engineer.<ref name="CLICK">{{Cite web |title=BBC World Service - Click |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p002w6r2 |publisher=BBC |access-date=2014-01-15}}</ref>
== Early life ==
Mitchell was born Gareth James Mitchell<ref name="fullname">{{Cite web |title=M7GJM |website=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/groups/4287320286/permalink/10162359081890287/ |date=2019-10-23 |access-date=2019-10-23}}</ref> in Eastleigh, England to a Welsh father,<ref>{{Cite podcast |url=http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/worldservice/digitalp/digitalp_20140114-2050a.mp3 |title=BBC Click Radio |website=bbc.co.uk |publisher=BBC |host=Gareth Mitchell, Bill Thompson |date=2014-01-14 |access-date=2014-01-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116122157/http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/worldservice/digitalp/digitalp_20140114-2050a.mp3 |archive-date=2014-01-16 }}</ref> Colin Mitchell.<ref name="dad">{{cite web |title=Local Man and the Radio 4 toilet drama! |url=http://www.mywelshpool.co.uk/viewernews/ArticleId/215 |access-date=2020-08-09}}</ref> He spent his childhood in Montgomeryshire,<ref name="montgomeryshire">{{cite web |title=how funny I was brought up in Montgomeryshire. |website = Facebook|url=https://www.facebook.com/groups/4287320286/permalink/10163227753735287/?comment_id=10163260711055287&__tn__=R |access-date=6 November 2020}}</ref> Powys, Wales.<ref name="powys">{{cite web |title=[Grew up in] Powys; BBC Science Focus podcast, December 2013|url=http://sciencefocus.com/sites/all/modules/ms_core/ms_podcast/templates/download.php?file=http://d2j7noxmrt3xhh.cloudfront.net/bbcfocusmagazine/audio/focus_262_qanda.mp3 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140213185511/http://sciencefocus.com/sites/all/modules/ms_core/ms_podcast/templates/download.php?file=http://d2j7noxmrt3xhh.cloudfront.net/bbcfocusmagazine/audio/focus_262_qanda.mp3|access-date=13 August 2020|archive-date = 2014-02-13}}</ref> When Gareth was seven, his father lit up a bulb with a closed circuit, and that sparked his interest in science.<ref name="childhood">{{Cite web |title=BBC World Service - Over to You, How the Podcast is Changing Listening Habits |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3cswlyn |date=2018-04-21 |access-date=2020-08-09}}</ref>
He was a member of the computer society at school (Welshpool High School) and participated in bellringing<ref>{{cite web |title=BBC World Service - Digital Planet, Drones for Good |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02hrf5q |access-date=2020-08-09}}</ref> and organ playing<ref>{{cite web |title=I learned the church organ for a while. |url=https://twitter.com/GarethM/status/1288222764 |access-date=2020-08-09}}</ref> at his local church. As an undergraduate studying Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Imperial College London, Mitchell joined campus radio working behind the scenes, but saw that "[t]he people who seemed to be having all the good fun were the creative types in the studios."<ref>{{cite web |title=BBC Digital Planet (Gareth's bio) |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p002w6r2 |access-date=2020-08-09}}</ref> Because of that, after getting his engineering degree and relevant work, he took up an MSc in Science Communication, also at Imperial.<ref name="nature-careers-2020">{{cite journal |title=How to transition from the lab to full-time science communicator |year=2020 |doi=10.1038/d41586-020-01676-z |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01676-z |access-date=2020-08-13|last1=Amer |first1=Pakinam |journal=Nature |pmid=34083804 |s2cid=226196072 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>
== Broadcasting ==
Mitchell joined the BBC during the mid-1990s, starting his career as a broadcast engineer. His initial dream was to be part of ''Tomorrow's World'',<ref name="shortscience010">{{cite web |title=Short Science Podcast 010 : Elizabeth Hauke and Georgie Gould : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming: Internet Archive |url=https://archive.org/details/ElizabethHaukeandGeorgieGouldShortSciencePodcast010 |access-date=2020-08-09}}</ref> BBC's flagship technology TV programme, but a visit to a radio studio at Bush House got him obsessed about radio journalism.<ref name="bush-house">{{cite web |title=Bye Bye Bush House Boo |url=https://audioboom.com/posts/710564-bye-bye-bush-house-boo |access-date=2020-08-09}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=May 2023}} Mitchell eventually decided to trade climbing TV and radio transmitter towers for science and technology journalism. He had worked for Radio Netherlands on science programmes.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}}
His first hosting role on the BBC was for the youth science program, ''The Lab''.<ref name="wasEngineer">{{Cite web |title=Host Bios & Pictures: BBC World Service |url=http://www.apmstations.org/promotion/hosts/hosts.php?pgm_code=bws |website=apmstations.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204164726/http://www.apmstations.org/promotion/hosts/hosts.php?pgm_code=bws |archive-date=4 February 2015 |access-date=4 February 2015}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=May 2023}}<ref>{{cite web |title=The Lab - BBC World Service Archive |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0344vs1 |access-date=2020-08-09}}</ref> Occasionally, he had also presented ''Science in Action'' and ''[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p016tmt2 The Science Hour]'' on the BBC World Service, and reported on the television programme ''Click''.<ref name="click-tv-involvement">{{cite web |title=BBC News - Meet the Click Team |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/meet_the_team/default.stm |access-date=2020-08-13}}</ref>
He presented on the BBC most notably as the host of ''Digital Planet'' (previously known as ''Click''<ref name="click-dp">{{cite web |title=BBC - The Editors: Click and Digital Planet merge |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2011/03/click_and_digital_planet_merge.html |access-date=2020-08-13}}</ref> and ''Go Digital''<ref name="go-digital">{{cite web |title=Go Digital - BBC World Service Archive Project |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0397ckb |access-date=2020-08-13}}</ref><ref name="last-go-digital">{{cite news |title=Go Digital: Your digital world |date=2 November 2005 |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/1478157.stm |access-date=2020-08-13}}</ref><ref name="gd-dp">{{cite news |title=BBC NEWS - Technology - BBC launches Digital Planet |date=27 March 2006 |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4843062.stm |access-date=2020-08-13}}</ref>) a BBC radio programme broadcast worldwide on the BBC World Service with Bill Thompson until its end in March 2023.<ref name=CLICK/> During his time on the show he interviewed people such as Jimmy Wales,<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC World Service - Digital Planet, Jimmy Wales on bots and blockages |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct31zv |access-date=2023-04-23 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref> Stephen Fry,<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC World Service - Tech Life: 'I sacrificed my soul' - a Facebook moderator's story, Stephen Fry's Digital Life |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0275ywc |access-date=2023-04-25 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref> Professor Dame Wendy Hall,<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC World Service - Tech Life: 'I sacrificed my soul' - a Facebook moderator's story, 20/10/2009 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p004l2hz |access-date=2023-04-25 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref> Martyn Ware,<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC World Service - Tech Life: 'I sacrificed my soul' - a Facebook moderator's story, A Holocaust Survivor's Digital Doppelgänger |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3cswhd2 |access-date=2023-04-25 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref> Feargal Sharkey,<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC World Service - Tech Life: 'I sacrificed my soul' - a Facebook moderator's story, 11/11/2008 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w0btv70k |access-date=2023-04-25 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref> Jean Michel Jarre<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC World Service - Tech Life: 'I sacrificed my soul' - a Facebook moderator's story, Data Ethics Monitoring |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3cswhf8 |access-date=2023-04-25 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref> and Vint Cerf.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Digital planet - Open University Digital Archive |url=https://www.open.ac.uk/library/digital-archive/program/audio:5747095878d05 |access-date=2023-04-23 |website=www.open.ac.uk}}</ref> From time to time, he is a stand-in presenter for [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b036f7w2 ''BBC Inside Science''] on BBC Radio 4. Additionally, Mitchell wrote for the Q&A section of [https://www.sciencefocus.com ''BBC (Science) Focus Magazine''] and hosted the Q&A podcast<ref>{{Cite web |title=Science Focus Podcast |url=https://www.sciencefocus.com/podcast/ |website=Science Focus - BBC Focus Magazine |access-date=2020-08-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130421091656/https://www.sciencefocus.com/podcast/ |archive-date=21 April 2013 }}</ref> from 2008 to 2017.
After the end of ''Digital Planet'', in April 2023, Mitchell and Thompson returned with a new technology podcast, ''The Gareth and BillCast''<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Gareth and BillCast |url=http://garethandbillcast.com/ |access-date=2023-04-20 |website=garethandbillcast.com |language=en}}</ref> as well as Mitchell presenting ""Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-19 |title=Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast - Reviews - Podcast Rex |url=https://podcastrex.com/reviews/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=podcastrex.com |language=en}}</ref>
== Lecturing ==
Mitchell has lectured at Imperial College London since 1998 in broadcast and written journalism on the Science Communication and Science Media Production MSc programmes <ref name="imperial-general">{{cite web |title=People/Contact, Science Communication Unit, Imperial College London |url=http://www.imperial.ac.uk/science-communication-unit/peoplecontact/ |access-date=2020-08-13}}</ref><ref name="imperial-specific">{{Cite web |title=Mr Gareth Mitchell |url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/g.mitchell |publisher=Imperial College London |access-date=2019-12-04}}</ref> since 2000<ref name="discrepancy2000">{{cite web |title=I joined the Science Communication Unit in 1998 part time and became full time in 2000. |url=http://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/g.mitchell |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612042627/http://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/g.mitchell |access-date=2020-08-13|archive-date=2020-06-12 }}</ref> and 2002 respectively.<ref name="discrepancy2002">{{cite web |title=I joined the Science Communication Group academic staff in 1998 part time and became full time in 2002.|url=http://www.imperial.ac.uk:80/people/g.mitchell |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022114642/http://www.imperial.ac.uk:80/people/g.mitchell |access-date=2020-08-13|archive-date=2019-10-22 }}</ref> He also presents the [https://www.imperial.ac.uk/be-inspired/social-and-multimedia/podcasts/ Imperial College Podcast]. The key event leading to his appointment as a radio tutor was a bet in a pub over a Guardian job advertisement for that role.<ref name="drunken-bet">{{cite web |title=Gareth being interviewed by the 'Speaking of Science' podcast |date=7 January 2013 |url=http://speakingofscience.juliegould.net/science-communication/speaking-to-gareth-mitchell/ |access-date=2020-08-09}}</ref><ref name="scinotsci2">{{cite web |title=Part 2 of Gareth's interview at 'Scientists not the Science' |date=7 March 2016 |url=https://www.scinotsci.com/episodes/2016/3/6/ep23-scientists-on-the-radio-part-2-gareth-mitchell |access-date=2020-08-09}}</ref>
He emceed TEDx Imperial.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gareth Mitchell - mouthpiece |url=http://mouthpiece.douglasheaven.com/tag/gareth-mitchell/ |last=Douglas Heaven |publisher=Mouthpiece.douglasheaven.com |access-date=2014-01-15 |archive-date=16 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116141715/http://mouthpiece.douglasheaven.com/tag/gareth-mitchell/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> He has attended the World Economic Forum<ref name="wef">{{cite web |title=Gareth Mitchell - World Economic Forum |url=https://www.weforum.org/people/gareth-mitchell |access-date=9 August 2020}}</ref> and has hosted workshops, discussion panels and conferences on science and technology.<ref name="workshop">{{cite web |title=After a few years working in broadcast and telecoms engineering, he gave it all up and returned to Imperial to pursue the MSc in Science Communication. |url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/events/99588/science-communication/ |access-date=2020-08-13}}</ref><ref name="won2008">{{cite web |title=Plenary Panel, Wealth of Networks 2008 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming: Internet Archive |url=https://archive.org/details/Improbulus-PlenaryPanelWealthOfNetworks2008907-2 |access-date=2020-08-09}}</ref><ref name="ff">{{cite web |title=FutureFest |url=https://futurefest.org/speaker/gareth-mitchell/ |access-date=2020-08-09}}</ref>
At Imperial he has cofounded, and now runs, the "Science Media Diversity Scholarship".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Funding |url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/centre-for-languages-culture-and-communication/science-communication-unit/msc-programmes/funding/ |access-date=2023-04-25 |website=Imperial College London |language=en-GB}}</ref> The award covers tuition fees and London living costs for a year, for a student from a minority ethnic group. The Science Media Diversity Scholar also completes an internship at one of the sponsoring television production companies.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}}
== Facilitator == As well as broadcasting and lecturing Mitchell is a host and facilitator at big events with clients such as the European Commission, OECD,<ref>{{Citation |last=Development |first=OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and |title=OECD FORUM 2019 |date=2019-05-20 |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/oecd/46975334095/ |access-date=2023-05-05}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Development |first=OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and |title=OECD 2016 Forum: Lunch Debate: The Algorithmic Society |date=2016-05-31 |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/oecd/27277141962/ |access-date=2023-05-05}}</ref> World Economic Forum,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gareth Mitchell |url=https://www.weforum.org/people/gareth-mitchell/ |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=World Economic Forum |language=en}}</ref> Wellcome Trust, and Nesta.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}}
==Personal life==
Apart from the bells and the organ, other instruments Mitchell can play are the piano and keyboard.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}}<ref name="2005pdf">{{cite thesis |degree=PhD |pages=160–162 |title=Instructional Strategies to Improve Women's Attitudes toward Science |publisher=Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University |date=22 March 2005 |hdl=10919/27000 |url=http://hdl.handle.net/10919/27000 |access-date=2020-08-09|last1=Newbill |first1=Phyllis Leary }}</ref> He rides motorcycles, has taken flying lessons, and has been a licensed amateur radio operator since August 2019.<ref name="essex-ham">{{cite web |title=Interview: Online Learning & Exam - Essex Ham |url=https://www.essexham.co.uk/online-learning-and-exam.html |access-date=2023-04-03}}</ref><ref name="fullname" /> with his call sign M7GJM. He continues to use his engineering skills by for example has developing a way to provide the required signal needed for the studio clocks<ref name="scinotsci2" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Bush House clock |website = YouTube| date=22 August 2014 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN-h8tcF4pM |access-date=2020-08-13}}</ref> he'd bought at an auction for items from Bush House, the BBC World Service's former headquarters, he did this by making a Master clock from a microcontroller called an Arduino.
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [https://youtube.com/user/GarethDigitalPlanet Gareth Mitchell's YouTube videos] * [http://www.open.edu/openlearn/profiles/guest-195 Gareth's OpenLearn articles] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007144056/http://www.open.edu/openlearn/profiles/guest-195 |date=7 October 2013 }} for the Open University * [https://www.sciencefocus.com/author/garethmitchell/ Gareth Mitchell's articles for ''BBC Science Focus Magazine''] * {{Twitter}}
{{BBC World Service}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mitchell, Gareth}} Category:Living people Category:Welsh journalists Category:Academics of Imperial College London Category:People from Eastleigh Category:BBC World Service presenters Category:BBC people Category:1970 births Category:BBC Radio 4