Nature podcast host

Christopher Smith, known to his fans as the ‘naked scientist’, could be described as an accidental broadcaster. The host of several science-based radio shows in Britain and of Nature's weekly podcast stumbled into radio as a student. He was demonstrating how to extract DNA from onions at a science festival in Cambridge, when his work attracted the attention of a local radio station. The subsequent broadcast turned into a weekly show and — between finishing his PhD, and then a medical degree — Smith secured grants both to hire more help and to get some formal training. The results are radio shows that attract thousands of UK listeners, and ‘podcasts’ that often rank among the most downloaded of their category. Smith takes a break between lecturing, doctoring and broadcasting to talk to Nature about his work.

How did you come up with the title ‘naked scientist’?

You know how it is when you're trying to avoid doing something you hate — which in this case was writing up my thesis. I was doing the washing up, I thought of the title, because the show was really putting scientists in reach of the general public. And the domain name was available.

How did you get formal training in broadcasting?

As a doctor I had no track record in radio, making it difficult to be taken seriously by major broadcasters. So I applied to the Churchill Trust to fund me for six months with a broadcaster in Australia. I got to work in an international science broadcast unit with someone who was at the top of their game. It was baptism by fire. It taught me to have a good idea for a good story, how to dissect the key facts and sell the story on the radio.

You divide your time between lecturing, practising medicine and broadcasting. How do you manage?

I'm a clinical lecturer in virology at the University of Cambridge. I'm pretty busy. I applied to the Wellcome Trust for core funding in 2005. That enabled me to take on an assistant to help produce my weekly show.

Why do you think the shows have been so popular?

Humour — buying goodwill by making something fun goes a long way. Also, by making scientists directly accessible to the people on the street. People are realizing science is important, it affects their daily lives and people want to make informed decisions about it.

How long will you keep producing the show?

Until I die, which, at this rate, will be in about a year.