stephen hawking the cambridge university physicist famous for his theories on black holes and his best-selling books about the universe will present public lectures march 8 at texas a&m university and march 14 in the woodlands hawking is visiting texas a&m as part of a month-long physics conference to inaugurate the universitys george p and cynthia w mitchell institute for fundamental physics established with an endowment from the well-known texas businessman and his wife both of the woodlands hawking whose best-selling books a brief history of time and the universe in a nutshell have sold millions of copies around the world is renowned as a scientist with the uncommon ability to communicate complex science in a way that touches people the chance to hear the worlds best-known living scientist discuss scientific wonders of the universe is a rare gift for us all said h joseph newton dean of texas a&ms college of science this is the kind of event that will define the mitchell institute as a world-class forum in theoretical physics the mitchell institute part of texas a&ms college of science is bringing 11 of the worlds top physicists to campus for an intensive scientific conference the visiting scientists from across the united states and europe will join hawking four of his cambridge students and faculty experts from texas a&ms own department of physics in an extended scientific dialog scheduled to run from feb 21 to march 21 their discussions are not open to the public but hawking will present two one-hour lectures: at 4 pm on march 8 he will present gödel and the end of physics in rudder auditorium on texas a&ms college station campus the public is invited tickets are available for $3 for students and children and $5 for others tickets are available at the memorial student center box office (979-845-1234 or toll-free at 888-890-5667) the talk will be preceded by an exhibition of hands-on science displays representing work from various departments at texas a&m the exhibition will be open from 10 am to 3:45 pm in rooms 225-226 of the memorial student center the exhibits will feature popular science that is accessible to all ages the public is invited to attend at 7:30 pm on march 14 hawking will deliver a lecture brane new world at the cynthia woods mitchell pavilion in the woodlands tickets will be available for $10 for covered seating and $5 for uncovered seating tickets will be available beginning march 1 at big new h-e-b stores in the houston area and at the pavilion ticket office (281-364-3024) contact: mark minton communications specialist texas a&m university college of science (979) 862-1237 or mminton@sciencetamuedu; press coverage: h=(a&m)2 – houston chronicle (03/14/03) stephen hawking speaks at texas a&m – kbtx-tv (03/10/03) physicist hawking wows capacity crowd at texas a&m – austin american statesman (03/09/03) stephen hawking speaks at texas a&m – amarillo globe-news (03/09/03) renowned physicist delivers speech to texas a&m students – star-telegram (03/09/03) hawking shares his reflections on the universe – the bryan-college station eagle (03/09/03) universe still an unknown hawking says – the battalion (03/08/03) stephen hawking speaks at texas a&m – the beaumont enterprise (03/08/03) stephen hawking speaks at texas a&m – the dallas morning news (03/08/03) stephen hawking speaks at texas a&m – midland reporter-telegram (03/08/03) stephen hawking speaks at texas a&m – san antonio express news (03/08/03) science departments hosting ‘exploratorium for kids – the bryan-college station eagle (03/07/03) renowned physicist offering insight – the houston chronicle (03/05/03)