Guest details for Saturday Morning 23 May 2009

8:15 Richard Thaler

Richard H. Thaler is Ralph and Dorothy Keller Distinguished Service Professor of Behavioral Science and Economics, and Director of the Center for Decision Research at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. With legal scholar Cass Sunstein he is the author of Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth and Happiness (Penguin, ISBN: 978-0-141-04001-1).

8:45 Fintan O'Toole

Fintan O'Toole is a columnist, assistant editor and drama critic for The Irish Times, and has written for the paper since 1988. He is a literary critic, historical writer and political commentator, and a critic of corruption in Irish politics. He has written over a dozen books, most recently White Savage: William Johnson and the Invention of America (2005), and The Irish Times Book of the 1916 Rising (2006), with Shane Hegarty.

9:05 Nikolien van Wijk and Anne Meade

Nikolien van Wijk completed her Masters of Education in 2006, and has a background in primary school teaching. She was 'converted' to early childhood education when she joined her local Playcentre in Wellington with her first child, in 2000, which was where she first learnt about schemas. Adding two more children to the family has meant she has been a parent-educator at Wilton Playcentre for nine years, during which time she learnt more about schemas, through her participation in the playcentre's Centre of Innovation research contract from 2003 to 2006. This included writing for and presenting to a range of audiences, both national and international, and has led to the publication of her book, Getting Started with Schemas: Revealing the Wonder-full World of Children's Play (Playcentre Publications, ISBN: 978-0-908609-60-4).

Dr Anne Meade has been associated with early childhood education for many years, as a parent and in career roles that include teacher, researcher, lecturer and policy adviser. She was the Director of the New Zealand Council for Educational Research for six years, Chair of the Special Education Board, and member of the Council governing Wellington College of Education. She is currently a self-employed consultant, specialising in educational research, advice and writing with a focus on early childhood education. With Pam Cubey, she is the author of Thinking Children (Open University Press / NZCER, ISBN: 978-1-877-398-40-7).

9:45 Kate's Klassics

Kate Camp will discuss three works by Edgar Allen Poe: The Fall of the House of Usher, a short story first published in Burton's Gentleman's Magazine in 1839; The Purloined Letter, the third of Poe's short detective stories featuring C Auguste Dupin, which first appeared in The Gift: A Christmas and New Year's Present for 1844; and the 1845 narrative poem, The Raven. All are included in The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Writings (Penguin Classics, ISBN: 9780141439815).

10:05 Bryn Terfel

Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel is an international opera star. Next month he visits New Zealand for a four-concert tour, accompanied by New Zealand pianist Terence Dennis, to perform a selection of popular songs and classical favourites during recitals in the Dunedin Town Hall (11 June), Christchurch Town Hall (13 June), Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington (17 June), and Auckland Town Hall (20 June).

11:10 Juliette Veber

In 2004, Juliette Veber shot and directed Trouble Is My Business, a feature-length documentary about a teacher and pupils in a tough South Auckland school. It was completed last year in time to premiere in the NZ International Film Festival and receives a nationwide release from 28 May. Juliette has worked as producer on a number of New Zealand feature films and currently works as the Short Film Manager at the New Zealand Film Commission. Two New Zealand short films have been selected for the 62nd Festival de Cannes: The Six Dollar Fifty Man, written and directed by Wellington filmmakers Mark Albiston and Louis Sutherland, and NZ/Danish co-production Lars and Peter, written and directed by New Zealander Daniel Borgman.

11:40 Amy Dixon

Amy Dixon is team leader of primates at Auckland Zoo, and a frequent presenter on the TVNZ reality series, The Zoo. With fellow primate keeper Carly Day she recently returned from a month in Sumatra, where they were assisting with the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Project in Bukit Tigapuluh National Park.

Music played on the programme

Bryn Terfel with the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera: Ar Hyd Y Nos (All Through the Night)
From the 2000 album: We'll Keep a Welcome (The Welsh Album)
(Deutsche Grammaphon)
Played at around 10:05

Bryn Terfel and Ying Huang: France in Disarray
From the 1998 album: Ca Ira: an Opera in Three Acts by Roger Waters
(Sony Classical/Columbia)
Played at around 10:20

Bryn Terfel: My Little Welsh Home
From the 2008 album: Scarborough Fair - Songs from the British Isles
(Deutsche Grammaphon)
Played at around 10:35

Bryn Terfel, with Malcolm Martineau (piano): Litanei auf das Fest Allerseelen D343
From the 1994 album: An Die Musik - Favourite Schubert Songs
(Deutsche Grammaphon)
Played at around 10:55

Staff Benda Bilili: Polio
From the 2009 album: Très Très Fort
(Crammed Discs)
Played at around 11:35

Studio operators

Wellington engineer: Lianne Smith
Auckland engineer: Jeremy Ansell