MEDIA ADVISORY: Official Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting of the Stephen Hawking Centre at Perimeter Institute on September 17

Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, September 13, 2011 – The official grand opening and ribbon cutting of the Stephen Hawking Centre at Perimeter Institute will take place on Saturday, September 17th at 2:45 pm ET.

Stephen Hawking, PI Distinguished Research Chair, will join Neil Turok, PI Director, and dignitaries via video for the official grand opening. Other research, training, and outreach special announcements will follow.

Date: September 17, 2011

Time: 2:45pm to 3:45 pm ET

Location: Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics 31 Caroline St N Waterloo, ON N2L 2Y5

Advance Media Registration

Advance media registration for is required by 12:00 pm ET on Friday, September 16th. Please contact RJ Taylor at rtaylor[at]pitp[dot]ca, or 519-569-7600 x5371 regarding media registration, your camera requirements, booking of audio feed, parking for satellite trucks, and other logistics. Media are required to present credentials onsite.

Media parking onsite is limited to satellite trucks and must be arranged in advance. Media may park nearby at the Museum Lot, accessible via Father David Bauer Drive.

About the Grand Opening Celebrations of the Stephen Hawking Centre at Perimeter InstituteOver 10,000 people are expected to explore the all new research complex – and the mysteries and wonders of our universe –from September 16th to 18th through a series of special events, self-guided tours of the 55,000 square foot expansion, interactive exhibits, PI Public Lectures and many opportunities to chat with Perimeter’s international scientists. Special guests will participate in the activities, including string theorist Brian Greene, Canadian Astronaut Julie Payette, cognitive neuroscientist Rebecca Saxe, science historian George Dyson, robotics engineer Hod Lipson and more.

The weekend’s activities will culminate with the exclusive world-broadcast premiere of “Stephen Hawking: The Power of Ideas” airing Sunday, September 18th at 8 pm ET on TVO.

The Grand Opening of the Stephen Hawking Centre at Perimeter Institute is made possible by BMO Financial Group, presenting media partner TVO, Christie Digital, and many valued public and private partners. Activities are being held in conjunction with Doors Open Waterloo Region the same weekend.Visit www.perimeterinstitute.ca for more details, fact sheets, photos and ongoing updates.

For more information, contact:RJ TaylorExternal Relations SpecialistPerimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics519-569-7600 x5371rtaylor[at]pitp[dot]ca

About Perimeter InstitutePerimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (PI) is an independent, non-profit, scientific research organization working to advance our understanding of physical laws and develop new ideas about the very essence of space, time, matter and information. Located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, PI also provides a wide array of research training and educational outreach activities to nurture scientific talent and share the importance of discovery and innovation among students, teachers and the general public. In partnership with the Governments of Ontario and Canada, PI is a successful example of public-private collaboration in scientific research, training and outreach.

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