The John Innes Centre receives strategic funding from BBSRC
The John Innes Centre receives strategic funding from BBSRC
Phil Smith awarded MBE in Queen's Birthday HonoursJune 2008 Dr Phil Smith has been awarded an MBE for services to science education in the 2008 Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Phil is the co-ordinator of the Norwich-based Teacher Scientist Network (TSN), an innovative science education charity hosted by the John Innes Centre which brings scientists and teachers together to enhance and enliven science education in the classroom and beyond. “Whilst I have received the award I feel it is a testimony to the teachers and scientists involved in the network for the past 14 years. Without them, the network would not exist and I wouldn’t have had the stepping stone I’ve had to go from lab scientist to running the scheme” said Phil. Phil completed his PhD at the John Innes Centre in 1997, researching diseases in cereals. He has always had a passion for communicating science, especially to schoolchildren, and in 1999 he joined TSN. His own partnership with a primary school teacher, Mrs Maxine Woods, was very successful, winning several science education grants from the BBSRC and the Royal Society and flourished even after she transferred to a school in Essex. In 2003 Phil became coordinator of TSN, and his positive experience encouraged Phil to grow TSN, by recruiting more scientists and expanding TSN’s activities. There are currently 70 active partnerships between scientists and teachers in schools all over Norfolk and North Suffolk. TSN also arranges regular Master Classes on topics requested by science teachers such as stem-cell research and climate change. It also a runs a free-to-loan “Kit Club”, which allows teachers access to a broad range of science resources with many of the kits designed in response to requests from teachers. TSN was the first UK organisation to partner scientists and teachers in this way (founded in 1994), and now TSN is widely regarded as an example of ‘best practice’ in making links between the science community and the world of education, and is a bottom-up organization responding to it’s members needs Phil has given guidance to other networks which now exist elsewhere in the UK & Europe, including the national “Researcher in Residence” programme, of which Phil is the East of England Regional Coordinator. Phil also coordinated the programme of events for the Young People’s programme at the highly successful 2006 BA Festival of Science in Norwich, which was attended by almost 3000 pupils from 62 schools around East Anglia. He is a representative on various panels and committees for science education, such as the regional ASE and the East of England STEM Advisory Group, a strong supporter of the regional science learning centres and a partner in Cue East, a Beacon for Public Engagement which will assist staff and students at the University of East Anglia to engage with parents, teachers and pupils which he hopes will inspire others to spend time sharing the passion of their research with school children. Contacts: Andrew Chapple, Press Office Assistant
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