Hawking Moving to Waterloo (Perimeter Institute)?

  • Thread starter Thread starter George Jones
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Hawking
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the potential move of Stephen Hawking to the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo, Ontario, as well as the implications of such a move for funding and research in theoretical physics. Participants explore the context of Hawking's career, his connections to other physicists, and the broader funding landscape in the UK and Canada.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that the initial article suggests Hawking may only visit Perimeter for a month, raising questions about the permanence of any move.
  • Others argue that Hawking's age (66) could imply an impending retirement, though some express skepticism about his willingness to retire given his passion for work.
  • There is mention of Neil Turok's move to Perimeter and how it might influence Hawking's decision, as they have collaborated on significant theoretical work.
  • Concerns are raised regarding the funding crisis in the UK, with some participants suggesting that certain fields, like Condensed Matter physics, may be more affected than others.
  • Some participants express doubt that Hawking would move primarily for the weather, suggesting other motivations might be at play.
  • Several posts reference articles confirming Hawking's regular visits to Perimeter as a Distinguished Research Chair, indicating a formal connection without confirming a full relocation.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of views regarding Hawking's potential move, with no clear consensus on whether he will relocate permanently or the implications of such a move. There is also disagreement about the impact of funding issues on different areas of research.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the uncertainty surrounding Hawking's retirement plans and the implications of funding crises in different fields of physics, noting that some assumptions about the situation may be incomplete or dependent on specific definitions of retirement and funding availability.

Physics news on Phys.org
Very interesting George.
 
Now that's one way to put some serious pressure on your government!
 
Gokul43201 said:
Now that's one way to put some serious pressure on your government!

But it's hardly like Hawking or the rest of DAMTP gets hit by the funding crisis.

Anyway, I'll wait and see if Hawking really moves- from that newspaper article, all that was apparent was that he was going to visit Perimeter for a month. That said, he is 66, so presumably will be retiring soon anyway.
 
cristo said:
But it's hardly like Hawking or the rest of DAMTP gets hit by the funding crisis.

Anyway, I'll wait and see if Hawking really moves- from that newspaper article, all that was apparent was that he was going to visit Perimeter for a month. That said, he is 66, so presumably will be retiring soon anyway.


I have never pictures Hawking retiring, I watched a documentary a while back called master of the universe or something like that, and the man looked to driven by his work I really can't imagine him retiring until his condition deteriorates to a state where he can no longer work.
 
cristo said:
But it's hardly like Hawking or the rest of DAMTP gets hit by the funding crisis.
He doesn't even have to move ... but the PR damage was done when all the speculation began.

Incidentally, I was only recently given an idea of how bad the problem is in the UK when I got an email from a big group at Cavendish, saying they haven't had a grant come through in ages.

But based on your comment above, I wonder if Condensed Matter is not suffering more than other fields.
 
But he's also being encouraged to move to Ontario by his University of Cambridge colleague Neil Turok, the mathematical physicist who will take over as Perimeter's executive director on Oct. 1. Perimeter confirmed last night that it has made a standing offer to Hawking.
Interesting. Turok is headed there to assume position of executive director.

Dr. Neil Turok Appointed Executive Director of Perimeter Institute
http://www.perimeterinstitute.ca/News/In_The_Media/Dr._Neil_Turok_Appointed_Executive_Director_of_Perimeter_Institute

With Stephen Hawking, he later developed the Hawking-Turok instanton solutions describing the birth of inflationary universes.
So perhaps - Hawking would be enticed by Turok's move to PI.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Gokul43201 said:
He doesn't even have to move ... but the PR damage was done when all the speculation began.[\quote]
Sure, and I don't think there are many people who would disagree with his comments regarding the amalgamation of the two research councils.
But based on your comment above, I wonder if Condensed Matter is not suffering more than other fields.

So my comments may have been a little blasse (sp?), but the centre for theoretical cosmology was only created last year so there must have been some funding there! It is possible that condensed matter has been hit harder- experimental grants do tend to cost more!
 
Raymond Laflamme, who is the director of the institute for quantum computing in Waterloo, is also a former student of Stephen Hawking... I can't imagine that Hawking would consider moving to Perimeter for the terrific weather.
 
  • #10
"Professor Stephen Hawking to Regularly Visit Canada's Perimeter Institute as Distinguished Research Chair"
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2008/27/c4487.html
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081127.whawking1127/BNStory/National
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #11
fourier jr said:
"Professor Stephen Hawking to Regularly Visit Canada's Perimeter Institute as Distinguished Research Chair"
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2008/27/c4487.html
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081127.whawking1127/BNStory/National

Great news.
The above article is on the PI site
http://www.perimeterinstitute.ca/News/In_The_Media/Stephen_Hawking_to_Regularly_Visit_Perimeter_Institute_as_Distinguished_Research_Chair as noted by http://science.slashdot.org/science/08/11/27/2238252.shtml
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #12
I guess that this means that all physicists are now morally obliged to use a Blackberry while drinking our Carlsberg:wink:
 
  • #13
cristo said:
That said, he is 66, so presumably will be retiring soon anyway.

Ummm... what exactly would he do with his spare time? All he can really do anymore is think, and by the looks of it he really likes to do that.
 
  • #14
WarPhalange said:
Ummm... what exactly would he do with his spare time? All he can really do anymore is think, and by the looks of it he really likes to do that.

As in retiring from his job: the Lucasian chair. You have to retire from such positions. Anyway, this thread was started before he'd announced his retirement.
 

Similar threads

Hawking to leave Cambridge in protest over budget cuts, heading to Perimeter
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
6K
Stephen Hawking: Hero Worship or Humility?
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
3K
Photos of Perimeter Institute's new facility
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
4K
Undergrad Hawking Radiation: Info vs Semanticity? - Hossenfelder
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
Graduate How Does Dr. Ian Chapman's Research Impact Nuclear Fusion Technology?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Programs How to decide between Perimeter Institute’s PSI and Cambridge’s MAST/Part 3?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
What are some recommended books on popular science?
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
3K
Undergrad Do famous physicists (Kaku and Hawking) pass off asumptions as fact?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
High School Question about the Entropy of a Black Hole Singularity
  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
4K
Admissions Waterloo vs. Minnesota Duluth for physics M.Sc.
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K