Hawking To Visit Waterloo Research Institute Next Summer

The Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics based in Waterloo Ontario has appointed famed physicist Stephen Hawking to the position of distinguished research chair and as such Hawking will make a visit to the institute in the summer of 2009. "Stephen is coming here to do science and interact with the community of researchers at PI and hopefully to come up with new ideas that will push the subject forward," Perimeter director Neil Turok told CBC News.

"The institute's twin focus, on quantum theory and gravity, is very close to my heart and central to explaining the origin of the universe," said Hawking.

"I look forward to building a growing partnership between [Perimeter institute] and our Centre for Theoretical Cosmology, at Cambridge. Our research endeavour is global, and by combining forces I believe we will reap rich rewards."

The institute was founded in 2000 with the help of a $100 million donation from Research in Motion co-founder Mike Lazaridis, who gave an additional $50 million earlier this year.

Stephen Hawking Rumoured To Be Heading To Canada

Famed scientist, and not just for his many Simpson's appearances, Stephen Hawking is said to be "mulling over" an offer to leave Cambridge University and follow his colleague Prof. Neil Turok to the Perimeter Institute in Ontario. Hawking has been critical of late of the British Governments £80 million (roughly $160 million) cuts to research funding. The Perimeter Institute, was set up seven years ago by Mike Lazaridis, BlackBerry co-creator and co-CEO of Research in Motion, and has raised private donations of £150 million ($300 million) and a similar amount from public Canadian funds. Prof Turok said "Stephen has been very loyal to Cambridge - he could have gone anywhere he wanted. "He plans to visit me in Ontario next year for a month or so, and we would certainly welcome him coming for longer." Sam Blackburn, Prof Hawking's graduate assistant, said: "I think Prof Hawking is mulling it over but a move isn't imminent. "He would not make plans to permanently move to a place he hasn't visited yet but he is open to it."

It seems philanthropy is alive and well in Canada! More at Telegraph.co.uk