Naked Scientist has winning ways with podcast

Anyone who wants to do some homework before attending the ABSW's briefing on podcasts on 17 September might like to do some home work to see what it takes to create an award winning podcast. Check out the Naked Scientists.

Dr Chris Smith, Clinical Lecturer and Specialist Registrar in virology at the University of Cambridge, and, in his spare time, podcaster extraordinaire, has just won the "prestigious," they tell us, Royal Society Kohn award "for his work engaging a diverse audience with science".

The press note on the award, Naked Scientist wins Royal Society award for science communication, tells us that "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."

It seems that success is not always welcome, by the techies at least. "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." You have been warned.

Naked Scientists in awards race

A press release from the University of Cambridge reports that "The interactive science radio show The Naked Scientists has received two nominations for this year's international Podcast Awards, the electronic equivalent of the BAFTAs."

It isn't clear why they call them BAFTAs rather than Oscars, but that's Cambridge for you.