Hawking, best known for his groundbreaking research in theoretical physics and his influence on young scientists in Great Britain, the United States, and around the world, will offer brief prepared remarks as he accepts the Smithson Medal.
The extraordinary evening also includes a video presentation showcasing Hawking's life and career. University of California at Santa Barbara professor James Hartle will present "Stephen Hawking's Universe," in which he describes some of Hawking's most important contributions to our current understanding of the universe and its origins. Hartle, a physicist and cosmologist, works on understanding the earliest moments of our quantum universe.
Tickets are $28 for general admission, $22 for members and $12 for students. For tickets information, contact The Smithsonian Associates at 202-357-3030 or visit the web site www.SmithsonianAssociates.org.
The James Smithson Bicentennial Medal was struck in 1965 in honor of the 200th anniversary of Smithson's birth. This award is given to persons who have made distinguished contributions to the advancement of areas of interest to the Smithsonian. Previous recipients include: Jacques Cousteau, Walter Cronkite and Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson.
The Smithsonian Associates provides educational and cultural programs that highlight and complement the work of the Smithsonian Institution through a wide variety of formats including lectures, performances, courses, and special events on the National Mall and across the country.
An arm of the United Kingdom's international organization for educational and cultural relations, the British Council USA (BCUSA) increases recognition of the wide array of learning opportunities available in the UK and facilitates educational cooperation between the US and UK. The organization also showcases British creativity by introducing the American public to high-quality, groundbreaking artistic achievement, and highlights the UK's scientific innovation in disciplines ranging from biotechnology to planetary science. Through its work, BCUSA endeavors to promote an image of the UK that is up-to-date, vibrant, in the vanguard of new thinking and fully representative of the country's geographic and cultural diversity. For more information, visit BCUSA online at www.britishcouncil.org/usa.
The UK's progressive science and technology environment makes it the partner of choice for world-leading researchers, developers and academics eager to turn knowledge into innovation. Learn more about how the UK is developing science and technology for a new world at www.uksciencetech.com.