His discoveries include the key inventions underlying oral and injectable contraceptives.
His early education in Plymouth and Exeter (in the South West of England) led him in 1942 to Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he studied the Natural Sciences Tripos.
Smith had research interests in organic chemistry that were stimulated by Professor Lord Todd.
Herchel Smith's work on new methods for the total synthesis of steroids led to the development of commercially feasible methods for the industrial production of estrone, equilin (an important constituent of treatments for post-menopausal syndrome), 19-nor-testosterone, and Norgestrel (a novel progestogen).
He retired in 1973 and started a new career as a philanthropist in which he returned to the academic community the major part of the substantial fortune that had accrued from his patent and licensing fees.