Smith studied at the University of Cambridge (BA 1978, MPhil 1979, PhD 1982);[2] his doctoral thesis was entitled "A Generalised Nyquist/Root-Locus Theory for Multi-Loop Feedback Systems". He worked in various research and academic posts, becoming an assistant professor at Ohio State University. In 1990, he moved to the University of Cambridge where he became a professor of control engineering and a fellow of Gonville and Caius College.[2]