Fracking News
Here's a strange tale from The Times involving a scientist who retired 16 years ago, but still holds himself out to be an expert in the controversial field of fracking.
Yet the University of Glasgow where this chap once worked describes his views as "pseudo scientific scaremongering" points out that he's not entitled to call himself a 'chartered geologist' because he has not maintained his continued professional development, which is a requirement of most bona fide professions including lawyers and teachers for example.
In other words just because a person was once a practising lawyer does not give them permanent right to use such a title for professional purposes, so this cheeky fraudster David Smythe ought to be run out of town, if you ask me.
Police monitor protesters with placards standing near to the entrance of a drill site operated by Cuadrilla Resources Ltd in Balcombe last year Getty Images
By Ben Webster - The Times
A retired scientist who argues that fracking is dangerous and gives evidence against drilling applications has been accused of making a false claim about his qualifications.
The Geological Society has written to David Smythe to demand that he stop claiming that he is a chartered geologist.
The University of Glasgow, where Mr Smythe worked 16 years ago, has also written to him asking him not to suggest that its academics share his views.
Mr Smythe, who uses the title “Emeritus Professor of Geophysics, University of Glasgow”, last week helped to persuade west Sussex county council to reject an application to drill an exploratory shale well. He described Celtique Energie’s application as “incomplete, incompetent, and disingenuous” and said the high number of faults in England’s shale rock meant fracking could contaminate ground water.
He is also advising Frack Free Fernhurst, a group opposing fracking in the South Downs national park, and has given evidence on behalf of campaigners against a coal bed methane project in Falkirk. Anti-fracking campaigners describe him as “a world-class star of geological research” in a statement based on his claims.
However, Paul Younger, professor of energy engineering at the University of Glasgow, said that Mr Smythe, who played bass guitar in the punk rock band the Rezillos in the 1970s before becoming an academic, was not qualified to give expert evidence on fracking.
Professor Younger said: “He has published nothing on [shale gas] in any proper scientific forum — no doubt because he knows he would never get past peer review with his pseudo- scientific scaremongering.
“He falsely claims to be a chartered geologist. That’s fraudulent. It’s wilful untruth.
“I am concerned about the damage to the reputation of the university by someone who never fails to use his university affiliation.”
Professor David Manning, president of the Geological Society, wrote last month to Mr Smythe telling him not to use the title “chartered geologist”.
The governing body of the University of Glasgow wrote to him saying: “Notwithstanding our support for freedom of expression, we respectfully request that you make it clear in all of your future publications and broadcast media appearances that the views which you hold and express are your own and are not necessarily representative of the views held by the university’s researchers.”
Mr Smythe admitted that he should not have claimed to be a chartered geologist but said that it was a “trivial matter” because he had been one once but had stopped paying his subscription in 1996.
A spokeswoman for the Geological Society said that the title required proof of “continuous professional development”, not just payment of a subscription.
Mr Smythe, who lives in the south of France, said that he had done extensive research into unconventional energy extraction. He said: “In my severance agreement [with the University of Glasgow], I have the perpetual right to call myself emeritus professor.”
He said he had never suggested that his views were shared by the university. He said that Professor Younger had a vested interest in unconventional sources of fossil fuel as a director of the coal gas company Five-Quarter Energy.
He said: “A lot of British academics have in effect been bought off by the oil industry. They depend on grants from that industry so they dare not speak out critically.”
“I write reports [on fracking] for public inquiries to a very high standard because my aim is that I’m providing all the evidence if any such inquiry decision were to go to judicial review.”
Professor Younger said that he had no links with any fracking company.
