Dr. Phil Smith, M.B.E. - TSN Coordinator

Biography:

Phil hails from ‘just over the river from Liverpool’ (the Wirral to be precise), a pretty 60 sq. miles peninsular, famous for such diverse things as shipbuilding, Tranmere Rovers and the musical talents of OMD and the Boo Radleys (ex. school mates), oh and the longest promenade in Britain!.

A comprehensive co-ed education at St. Mary's College, Wallasey, achieving ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels led Phil to the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne to study Agricultural Biology, a Biology-based course with a slice of Chemistry. So what about physics? “… dropped that as soon as possible; I’d struggled to get my ‘O’-level. Sorry!” Graduating in 1990 with a 2(i) after htree wonderful years in Newcastle, he moved to the John Innes Centre (JIC) for a 3-year job contract ... he is still here now running TSN, having completed his PhD and held a post-doc position at the JIC. During this time he developed his enthusiasm and experience of classroom science as a partnered scientist in TSN (with Mrs Maxine Woods).

Scientifically, Phil is trained as a plant pathologist, having studed fungal diseases of crop plants, at the whole plant, cellular, and molecular level, a background that contributed to his development of a micro-organisms course for the Primary Science Workshops.

Selected Publications:

Smith P. H., Hadfield J., Hart N. J., Koebner R. M. D., Boyd L. A.(2007) STS markers for the wheat yellow rust resistance gene Yr5 suggest a NBS-LRR-type resistance gene cluster Genome 50: 259-265

Smith P. H., Howie J. A., Worland A. J., Statford R., Boyd L. A.(2004) Mutations in wheat exhibiting growth-stage-specific resistance to biotrophic fungal pathogens. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions 17: 1242-1249

Smith P. H., Foster E. M., Boyd L. A., Brown J. K. M.(1996) The early development of Erysiphe pisi on Pisum sativum L. Plant Pathology 45: 302-309

His partnership began at Heacham Middle School and headed out of the county when Maxine moved to Essex. “I must be the only partnered scientist who heads off to school with a sleeping bag in the boot!” commented Phil. “Being in the classroom has taught me a lot about education and I am still learning – planning whole science days for year 5/6 has been eye-opening! I am indebted to Maxine for all her advice over the years." Phil and Maxine have continued to work together and successfully won two National Science Week awards (2001 and 2004) and a Partnership grant from the Royal Society (2004) for their projects 'Science in the Home' (whole school science day at Prince Avenue Primary School (2001); ' Seed to Sandwich - where does your food come from?' (2 day event for schools from across Essex at Marsh Farm Community Farm, 2004); 'The Mobile Microbe Roadshow (MMR!)' (tour of 6 schools from Norfolk through Suffolk to Essex, 2005)

Ten years after the start of their p Phil and Maxine outside Bckingham Palace after receivinig his MBE for services to science education artnership, Phil was fortunate enough to be awaded an M.B.E. in the birthday honours of 2008. In acknowledgement of the significant role Maxine has played in his own science communication endeavours, Maxine was one of the guests Phil took to Buckingham Palace to receive his award (November 2008).