Prof. Stephen Hawking to be Officially Welcomed at Perimeter Institute on
June 20th, 2010

WATERLOO, ON, June 5 /CNW/ - Professor Stephen Hawking is a Distinguished Research Chair at Canada's Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (PI) and, on Sunday June 20th, 2010, he will be officially welcomed to Canada by the Honourable Tony Clement, Industry Canada Minister, and to the province by the Honourable Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario. The greetings will be followed with a special presentation by Prof. Hawking. The activities will be broadcast on TVO that same evening.

Dr. Neil Turok, PI Director, said "We are very happy to have Stephen here doing science with other researchers at Perimeter Institute. On June 20th he will take time out to be welcomed by our many public and private partners, including the governments of Ontario and Canada, and to give a special broadcast lecture. Stephen is an exceptional communicator, and we are delighted to be able to share his talk on television. We are also looking forward to his impressions of the 'Stephen Hawking Centre at Perimeter Institute' now under construction."

This past October, when the expansion to PI's facility was named in his honour, Professor Hawking said, "Our field of theoretical physics has been the most successful and cost-effective in all of science. Where would we be today without Newton, Maxwell and Einstein? Many great challenges lie ahead. Where this new understanding will lead, is impossible to say for sure. What we can say with confidence is that expanding the perimeter of our knowledge will be the key to our future."

About June 20th Events

Official greetings will take place on June 20, at 4:00pm at the Institute. Prof. Stephen Hawking will be met by the Honourable Tony Clement, Industry Canada Minister, and by the Honourable Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario.

Also taking part will be Mike Lazaridis, PI Board Chair, and Dr. Neil Turok, PI Director, who will share news on the Expanding the Perimeter initiative and the Stephen Hawking Centre at Perimeter Institute. The formal greetings and information about PI will be followed by a special lecture from Prof. Hawking on topics involving space, time, matter and his life in science.

As Prof. Hawking will be conducting private research activities during his visit, the June 20th activity is his only scheduled appearance. Media members wishing to attend or seeking images of Prof. Hawking at Perimeter should contact Lisa Lambert, PI Communication's Coordinator (contact info below).

For Media

Advance media registration for the June 20th activity is required by June 15th. Please contact Lisa Lambert at [email protected], or 519-569-7600 x5051 regarding limited media seats, your camera requirements, booking of pool feed (if needed), mobile parking or other logistics. Registered and accredited media are requested to arrive no later than 3:15pm to ensure seating and feeds as required.

For further information: Lisa Lambert at [email protected], or [phone] x5051