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An adviser to US President Barack Obama and world expert on supergravity will tonight deliver a free public lecture at The University of Western Australia, a day before being honoured at the University's Autumn Graduations.

Professor Sylvester (Jim) Gates will have the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science conferred on him by UWA Chancellor Dr Michael Chaney during tomorrow night's graduation ceremony.

Professor Gates serves on President Obama's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, part of the Executive Office of the President.  The council represents the nation's leading scientists and engineers who advise the President and Vice President and formulate policy in the many areas where the understanding of science, technology, and innovation is central to strengthening the US economy.

The first African-American to be awarded an endowed Chair in Physics in a major US University, Professor Gates has visited The University of Western Australia to work with the School of Physics' Supersymmetric Quantum Field Theory Group.

A popular speaker in Western Australia, on his first two visits Professor Gates delivered public lectures to capacity audiences.  In 2008, he was appointed Professor at Large by the UWA Institute for Advanced Studies.

Professor Gates also appeared in the television series "The Elegant Universe", broadcast in Australia on SBS, in which he played a central role along with seven Nobel prizewinners in physics.

IAS lecture: Is Physical Reality a ‘Matrix ?'

Date:                         Tuesday, 16 March 2010

Time:                         6:00pm

Location:                   Social Sciences Lecture Theatre, UWA. (Nearest carpark P3 off Hackett Entrance 1)

Media references

Susan Takao (UWA Institute of Advanced Studies)  (+61 8) 6488 8037
Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716