Nobel laureates to speak at daylong public symposium

To mark the 100th anniversary of the Nobel Prize, the public is invited to an all-day symposium with more than a dozen Nobel laureates in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine and other disciplines. The event will take place Friday, Oct. 26, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in San Francisco at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre next to the Exploratorium. Doors will open at 8:15 a.m.

Among the Nobel laureates from Stanford scheduled to attend are Paul Berg (Chemistry, 1980), Steven Chu (Physics, 1997), Milton Friedman (Economics, 1976), Douglas Osheroff (Physics, 1996), Martin Perl (Physics, 1995), Burton Richter (Physics, 1976) and William Sharpe (Economics, 1990). Stig Hagström, professor emeritus of materials science and engineering and a Nobel Prize juror, also will speak.

The symposium is organized by the Exploratorium and the Consulates General of Sweden in Los Angeles and San Francisco, with the cooperation of Stanford, the University of California-Berkeley, the University of California-San Francisco, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and KQED television.

The Nobel Prize is considered the most prestigious award in science, and California's universities and research institutions claim more Nobel laureates than any state or country in the world. The symposium will explore the impact of the prize on the fields of science, literature, economics and peace from the personal and professional perspectives of the laureates in attendance. Other sessions will include a discussion of Alfred Nobel, his historic will and the rigorous award selection process, featuring Nobel judges. The event will include a roundtable of high school students posing questions to Nobel laureates, as well as excerpts from an upcoming television documentary on the Nobel centennial produced by KQED. The day will end with a reception with Nobel laureates in the Exploratorium.

Ticket prices are $25 for general admission and $15 for students, Exploratorium members and partner institutions (including Stanford faculty and staff). The price includes break refreshments, a box lunch and the reception at the Exploratorium.

For tickets and reservations, call the Exploratorium at (415) 561-0308 or e-mail reservations@exploratorium.edu. Include your name, address, daytime phone number and number of tickets. Mention the key words "Partner Rate" to purchase your tickets at the $15 level.

The Exploratorium symposium is one of three to be held in California. The others will take place at Caltech and UCLA on Oct. 24.