Michio Kaku, theoretical physicist, professor, futurist, bestselling author and popularizer of science, will be the featured speaker for the Lackawanna County Library System’s American Masters Lecture, on Friday, September 30, at 7 p.m. in the Scranton Cultural Center.
A serious scholar with a chair in theoretical physics at the City University of New York and special expertise in Einstein’s unified field theory, Dr. Kaku is also one of the most widely recognized scientists in the world.
That’s due to his books and many television appearances, in which he strives to make complicated subjects understandable to non-scientists. He is a regular on network and cable news programs and has been seen on “60 Minutes,” “Good Morning America,” PBS’s “Nova” and “Innovation,” and on numerous science specials, including PBS’s “Stephen Hawking’s Universe,” “Science Odyssey,” and “Einstein Revealed.” He also appears regularly on the Discovery Channel, the Learning Channel and A & E.
His books have been popular successes, too. They include “Hyperspace and Visions: How Science Will Revolutionize the 21st Century,” “Visions,” “Parallel Worlds,” and “Physics of the Impossible.”
Dr. Kaku’s latest book, “Physics of the Future: How Science Will Change Daily Life by 2100,” is based on interviews with over 300 of the world’s top scientists. In it he presents revolutionary developments in medicine, computers, quantum physics, and space travel that will forever change our way of life and alter the course of civilization itself.
He graduated from Harvard University in 1968 summa cum laude and first in his physics class. He received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of California at Berkeley in 1972, and been a professor at CUNY for almost 30 years. He has also taught at Harvard and Princeton.
As a scientist his goal is to complete Einstein’s dream of a “theory of everything” with an equation that will summarize all the physical laws of the universe. He is the co-founder of string field theory, a major branch of string theory.
“Michio Kaku is one of the giants of American culture,” said Mary Garm, Library System administrator. “He is a dynamic, exciting lecturer, and his talk will be of great interest to young people and adults alike.”
The American Masters Lecture is part of the Library System’s Matthew F. Flynn Library Lecture Series. It was established by a group of community-minded individuals who wanted to support the tradition of presenting important speakers in the community. Among those providing grants and gifts in support of the American Masters Lecture are Scranton Area Foundation, the Briggs Foundation and Wayne Bank.
Dr. Kaku’s presentation takes the place of one by Richard Clarke, which was previously announced.
This year, the lecture is being held in conjunction with “Pages & Places,” the literary festival that will take place in downtown Scranton the following day, Saturday, October 1.
Ongoing funding for the Lecture Series is supported by the Lackawanna County Office of Arts and Culture. It is part of the art, literature and performance collaboration of the Lackawanna County Library System, the Scranton Cultural Center and the Everhart Museum.
According to Mrs. Garm, tickets for the event can be obtained by showing a library card at any Lackawanna County Library System library or the Scranton Cultural Center box office.