Stephen William Hawking was born on the 8th of January 1942 in Oxford, England. This British theoretical physicist is known all over the world for his excellent scientific achievements and publications. His career in the field of science and technology spans over four decades. For 2009, he became the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The award happens to be the highest form of award given to a civilian in the United States. Additionally, Stephen Hawking currently serves as an honorary fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts as well as a lifetime member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

Over the years, Stephen Hawking has made several contributions to several branches of science including quantum gravity and cosmology. He has also discussed his own theories regarding cosmology as well as the field in general in some of his written works such as the bestseller entitled A Brief History of Time. Apart from that, he has also written several other publications including The Large Scale Structure of Spacetime, General Relativity: An Einstein Centenary Survey, and 300 Years of Gravity.

For 30 years since 1979, Stephen Hawking has served as the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics for the University of Cambridge. He is currently a research chair at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Ontario and a fellow at the Gonville and Caius College in Cambridge.

Stephen William Hawking holds a total of 12 honorary degrees. In 1982, he became a recipient of the CBE award. In 1989, he became a Companion of Honour. Apart from those, Stephen Hawking has also received other awards, medals, and prizes.

At present, Stephen Hawking continues to gain balance between his career in the field of science and his family life. Apart from keeping himself busy with his research on theoretical physics, public lectures, and his extensive program of travel and public lectures, Stephen Hawking serves also serves as a father to three children and a grandfather to one.