Cambridge faces backlash for axing top Covid expert
The University of Cambridge is facing a backlash over its decision to lay off a leading virologist who helped guide Britain through the Covid pandemic.
Dr Chris Smith, the host of The Naked Scientists podcast, was told earlier this month that he was being made redundant.
The university has said the closure of the post was necessary both to save costs and because it did not align with Cambridge's outreach strategy.
However, Dr Smith said The Naked Scientists podcast, which he launched 24 years ago and has surpassed 150 million downloads, is a highly effective form of outreach.
The programme aims to increase public understanding of science and frequently highlights the work of Cambridge researchers.
Listeners from as far afield as Australia have begun petitioning the university after Dr Smith shared news of the proposed redundancy.
Podcast 'may be in jeopardy'
In a statement, he said: 'I have been informed by the University of Cambridge, my employer for whom I have worked loyally for over 20 years, that on the grounds of cost-cutting they intend to make me redundant, imminently.
'This potentially jeopardises The Naked Scientists, which is produced under my university role and means the team under me are also under threat.
'As if that isn't bad enough, as it stands – and I have nothing concrete to say otherwise – I will also lose my current medical consultant job, because this is contingent on my university employment.
'Why I am so desperately hurt by this decision is that it completely fails to recognise the huge, multi-award winning effort that I have put in over many years to raising the profile of science, technology and medicine originating from Cambridge University, for a truly global audience.'
Dr Smith's role combines lecturing at the university's Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) and working as a consultant virologist at Addenbrooke's, the university's teaching hospital.
Since 2014, he has been a public understanding of science fellow.
Cambridge needs to cut costs to tackle a £53 million deficit, which the university's internal watchdog blamed in part on 'a lack of budgetary control'.
In a letter to Dr Smith, the university also said that 'profile-raising and conversion of applicants to fee-paying courses' at ICE must be concentrated in its own 'external engagement division'.
Dr Smith said: 'There are people studying science at Cambridge University because of The Naked Scientists. Over the pandemic, I gave 2,500 interviews to media all over the world on behalf of Cambridge University.'
Listeners, including fellow scientists and science teachers, have sent letters of complaint to Cambridge protesting against the proposed redundancy. One said that his daughter had been inspired by the podcast to study science at A-level and hoped to gain a place at Cambridge to study veterinary medicine.
Another wrote: 'In a world where science is being persecuted, particularly abroad, the last place I thought I'd see this is Cambridge University.'
A spokesman for the University of Cambridge said: 'The Naked Scientists podcast is a separate entity that the university neither owns, controls nor has any direct influence over.
'The University of Cambridge is currently consulting with Dr Chris Smith about the future of his role with the university.'
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