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David K Smith

@professor-dave.bsky.social

4.6K followers 430 following 1.3K posts

York academic, chemist, gay widower, and (now) single adoptive Dad. Science, education, politics, life. Views personal. Award-winning food writer. (He/him) 🏳️‍🌈 Latest Cookbook: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1739967038

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David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · Apr 5

This is me!
Scientist / Educator / Gay / Widower / Single Dad / Adoptive Parent / Cook / Cookbook Author / Cat-Owner / Pianist / Diversity-Champion / Nature-Lover / Adventurer

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David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 1d

A remarkable transformation in @rsc.org prizes.
30% of prizes recognise teams rather than individuals (up from 5%).
36% of prize-winners are early-career (up from 4%)
38% of prize winners are women (up from 25%)
Twice as many prizes for work outside universities.
www.rsc.org/policy-and-c...

Reshaping recognition: evolving how we celebrate excellence

A multi-year journey to transform our prizes

www.rsc.org

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David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 1d

Dye Sensitised Solar cells (Gratzel).

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David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 1d

Chicken, Cashew, Coriander and Coconut Curry.
This was what the 12yo chose to make in today's 'home cooking' lesson.

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David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 2d

Regular reminder that ADHD is a spectrum and not necessarily 'mild'.
I teach many students with manageable ADHD who will contribute greatly in the workplace.
But the 12yo's special school has many pupils where ADHD, even if medicated, has huge impacts on their ability to learn, work, and function.

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David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 3d

Autumnal Shop - Low Petergate, York
#Autumn #VisitYork #York @visityork.bsky.social

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David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 3d

It's mad - it looks like a lawn!

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David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 3d

The ghosts are back in York.

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David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 3d

Autumn harvest from the allotment - butternut squash, apples, sloes and the last few beetroot.

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David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 3d

Lamb, Date and Cabbage Tagine with Homemade Flatbread.
You can find the recipe in my first award-winning book... www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B09H...
#Tagine #MoroccanFood #HomeCooking #SoulFood #Cookbook #Cookbooks

David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 10d

Absolutely - there is a free cat trail you can follow to find all of the cat sculptures hidden on the houses around York. There is also a specialist shop selling everything 'cat'.

David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 11d

Cats of South Bank
Slowly recovering from a horrid little virus, I went out with the 12yo for a gentle stroll round the neighbourhood to find some cats - its a low-traffic area where cats are the bosses! Here are my portrait shots!
#CatsofSouthBank #CatsofYork

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David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 11d

Week 29 - still no decision.
Fundamentally, writing it was a nightmare, communication from DWP is terrible, without phoning it would not have progressed, and the wait is now way beyond 6 months. The whole system is designed to make it impossible to claim.

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David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 11d

Week 26. They request the 12yo's birth certificate so they can 'produce a reference number for the claim'. I send it, they return it.
I still don't even have a reference number for the claim, or any written acknowledgement it exists.

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David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 11d

Week 22. Phoned up to learn progress. Was told it was 'waiting for a decision maker'. They could not give an estimate of how long it would take, but told me not to phone again.

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David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 11d

Week 15. With no news, I chase up to learn progress. Theyvtell me they are waitimg to receive my passport which they had requested by letter.
They hadn't.
They sent a letter - it arrived the next day, I privided my passport and it was returned to me.

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David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 11d

Read the information that says receipt should be acknowledged within 2 weeks, and claims decided in 15 weeks. Feel optimistic.
Week 4 - still no acknowledgement. Phone up. Spend 30 min on hold, then another 30 min while they struggle to find the application.
They reassure me all is ok.

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David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 11d

The story of applying for disability living allowance to help pay for some of the 12yo's needs - the benefit allegedly 'given away so easily'.
Weeks -8 to 0. Fill in a complex 90-page form, collect multiple pieces of evidence, get written expert testimony to support the claim.
Week 0, send it in.

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David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 12d

It can all be in disconnected silos if necessary but with a single point of ID access. Although there would also be a lot to gain from linking up (e g) tax and benefits information.

David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 12d

All of those are 'digital IDs'. The question is, are they the best digital IDs and what are they actually used for.
With regard to a 'digital ID to work in the UK', we have one - its our national insurance number. It's just some unscrupulous employers don't use the system.

David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 12d

It's shambolic in the NHS across trusts. My appointments in a different trust don't show up in the NHS app. My GP appears to still be reliant on being sent a printed letter from them.

David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 12d

And an integrated system does not literally have to integrate all the data. It can hold it in separate silos, but with a single access point.

David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 12d

Lets just say a single digital ID just for the NHS would be a step forwards - I currently have the app, and two completely orthogonal messaging systems from two different hospitals that don't read through into the app.

David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 12d

I have a passport number, a driving licence number, an NHS number, a tax number, a National Insurance number, a council tax number, a Voter ID number. All have records associated with them. Just integrate it all into one system and move on. It's a ridiculous debate.

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David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 15d

The whole thread here sums up the direction of travel, and how one thing leads to another...

Larry the Cat @number10cat.bsky.social · 15d

We don't have a problem with immigrants, just those who are criminals...

We don't have a problem with immigrants, just those who entered the country illegally...

We don't have a problem with immigrants, just those who don't speak English...

David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 15d

And once autism has been sufficiently othered, rest assured that radical 'solutions' will start to be suggested by those same voices for treatment and expectations of autistic people.