Naked Scientist Wins Royal Society Award For Science Communication

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Article Date: 28 Aug 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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Dr Chris Smith, Clinical Lecturer and Specialist Registrar in virology at the University of Cambridge has been awarded the prestigious Royal Society(1) Kohn award for his work engaging a diverse audience with science, it was announced today (Thursday 28 August 2008).

Dr Smith received the award for his pioneering radio show - the Naked Scientists - and his podcasts and books that reach audiences worldwide. His novel, informal approach - stripping science down to the bare essentials - has captured the imagination of the public, and provides a voice for scientists in the UK and abroad.

The Naked Scientist radio show is the only weekly science show broadcast on local radio. As thirty percent of UK radio audiences only listen to local radio, this enables the show to reach people who would not normally listen to an educational science radio programme.

Figures for BBC radio now show that The Naked Scientists is the most 'listened to again' show on every BBC station on which it is broadcast. Currently, it is also top of the United States Science charts for downloads and is in the top twenty science podcasts in the iTunes Music Stores of most countries.

Dr Smith, on winning the award said:"It is an honour to receive the Royal Society Kohn Award as communicating science to the public is so crucial for our society. I enjoy every minute of working on the Naked Scientists radio show - talking to scientists from all over the world and producing such diverse content for the show is fascinating.

"Above all, the letters and emails we receive every day from listeners all over the world really make the effort worth it because it's clear that our programmes are helping to enthuse young people about science, which is incredibly satisfying to see and exactly what we set out to do. I'm also proud to work with a terrific team of people without whom none of this would be possible."

However, producing the radio show has not always been plain sailing. As the programme grew in popularity so did the demands it was placing on the technology powering it.

Dr Smith said: "When podcasting really took off we were almost swept away by the tide of traffic that came our way. I blew up a couple of web-servers and was even ejected by a number of web-hosting companies for compromising their networks every time we published a show."

Dr Peter Cotgreave, Director of Public Affairs at the Royal Society said: "Chris Smith is a beacon for science communication. He has been awarded the Royal Society Kohn Award for his pioneering approach to making complex material accessible to a non-scientific audience. We hope that this award will enable him to continue his fantastic work and develop even more exciting parts of the Naked Scientists radio show."

In recognising that there was a gap in the market for a science programme that would reach a non-scientific audience, Dr Smith pioneered the Naked Scientists radio show while still a graduate student. He now successfully manages to juggle his busy career - working as a doctor and researcher - with his science communication activities.

Each show includes a look at current scientific topics, interviews with high profile scientists and phone-in questions on science from the general public. Guests scientists have included Martin Rees, President of the Royal Society; Professor Alec Jeffreys, from the University of Leicester, and James Watson.

To encourage debate and add a practical, visual part to the medium of radio, Smith has tested out new ideas such as the weekly 'kitchen science' experiments. Listeners can take part in simple home experiments alongside the broadcast and compete to be the first through on the phones with their findings and interpretations.

As the winner of the 2008 Royal Society Kohn Award for Excellence in Engaging the Public with Science, Dr Chris Smith receives a prize of £2,500, a grant of £7,500 for science communication activities and a silver gilt medal.

The Naked Scientists are based at Cambridge University, funded by the Wellcome Trust and the EPSRC, and UKFast.net provide technical support.

The Royal Society is an independent academy promoting the natural and applied sciences. Founded in 1660, the Society has three roles, as the UK academy of science, as a learned Society, and as a funding agency. It responds to individual demand with selection by merit, not by field. As we prepare for our 350th anniversary in 2010, we are working to achieve five strategic priorities to:

1. Invest in future scientific leaders and in innovation
2. Influence policymaking with the best scientific advice
3. Invigorate science and mathematics education
4. Increase access to the best science internationally

5. Inspire an interest in the joy, wonder and excitement of scientific discovery

The Royal Society, London