Smith-Johnson was frustrated by Dr. James de Groot's lack of progress with his Liquid Tiberium research, which had already caused multiple explosive accidents and led to the deaths of many of GDI's top Tiberium researchers. In 2034, he sent an angry email to the doctor after yet another explosion occured at the Institute for Tiberium Research, telling him that he could no longer cover him in front of the GDI Council, and that he would have to shut down the project if the doctor did not produce results soon.[1]