Do you know Stephen Hawking? His full name is Stephen William Hawking, was born on 8th January in Oxford, England. Stephen went to St. Albans School at the age of 11; and later continued to study Physics in University College, Oxford.
In 1962, Stephen did his research in cosmology. In 1963 Stephen was diagnosed with ALS, a form of Motor Neurone Disease, shortly after his 21st birthday. In spite of being wheelchair-bound and dependent on a computerised voice system for communication, Stephen continues to combine family life (he has three children and three grandchildren) with his research into theoretical physics, in addition to an extensive programme of travel and public lectures.
But, he managed to get his PhD in 1965 with his thesis titled 'Properties of Expanding Universes' and he became a research fellow, then Fellow for Distinction in Science (1969) at Gonville & Caius College.
Professor Stephen Hawking has worked on the basic laws which govern the universe. With Roger Penrose he showed that Einstein's general theory of relativity implied space and time would have a beginning in the Big Bang and an end in black holes in 1970. Professor Hawking has over a dozen honorary degree and was awarded the CBE in 1982. He is a fellow of the Royal Society and a member of the US National Academy of Science. Stephen Hawking is regarded as one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists since Einstein.
His publications include The Large Scale Structure of Spacetime with G. F. R. Ellis, General Relativity: An Einstein Centenary Survey, with W. Israel, and 300 years of Gravitation, with W Israel. Among the popular books Stephen Hawking has published are his best seller A Brief History of Time, Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays, The Universe in Nutshell, The Grand Design and My Brief History.
However, on 14 March 2018, our world renowned physicist, Stephen Hawking has died at the age of 76. He died peacefully at his home in Cambridge. Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything, paid tribute to Stephen, saying: "We have lost a truly beautiful mind, an astonishing scientist and the funniest man I have ever had the pleasure to meet."
Benedict Cumberbatch, who played Prof. Hawking in a BBC drama, said Stephen was "a true inspiration for me and for millions around the world."
Rest in peace, Stephen Hawking.
Prepared by,
Zaty Razali
Course Counsellor
Vision College
