Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication

Stephen Hawking announced he has given his name to a new award for science communication.

The “Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication” will be awarded to those who help promote science to the public through media such as cinema, music, writing and art.

Appearing before the press at the Royal Society, Hawking commented:

When I wrote ‘A Brief History of Time’ I was told that no one would want to read a hardback book about physics. Fortunately for me, it turned out not to be true.

People worldwide display an incredible appetite of scientific information… The public want to know, they want to understand.

The first medals will be awarded in three different categories — the scientific, artistic and film communities – next summer at the Starmus Festival in the Canary Islands.