We of the Starmus Festival Board are overjoyed with honoring the legendary Jane Goodall with the prestigious Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication. For decades Jane has been the supreme authority on chimpanzee behavior, allowing us a unique window into both our closest mammal cousins and indeed ourselves. The rich accomplishments Jane has brought to humanity through her work will echo through the centuries, and we are far better for having known her.
— David J. Eicher
Editor of Astronomy and President of the Starmus Board
On Sept. 6, 2022, Jane Goodall received the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication during the sixth edition of Starmus Festival in Yerevan, Armenia. The nomination was presented by Nobel Laureate scientist and Starmus Advisory Board member Emmanuelle Charpentier.
Dr. Goodall’s work has inspired several generations of scientists, naturalists, explorers and science communicators, and her story became the trigger for the careers of thousands of young women who went after their dream and made it come true. The Starmus Advisory Board unanimously selected Dr. Goodall for this prestigious award announced during the ceremony in Yerevan. However, Dr. Goodall was not able to attend the ceremony in person, which is why the award was handed to her on November 29th at Royal Geographical Society in London by Dr. Garik Israelian, co-founder of Starmus Festival.
The Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication was founded by Professor Hawking and Starmus Festival’s Advisory Board in 2016. The winners were chosen by Professor Hawking and Starmus Board and received the award during Starmus Festival, a global gathering of the most brilliant minds on the planet combining art, space exploration and science communication, founded by Dr. Garik Israelian and Dr. Brian May.
The award consists of a medal designed by astronaut Alexei Leonov and Dr. Brian May, Queen guitarist, and an exclusive Omega watch created specifically for the recipients of this award.
Watch Jane Goodall’s inspiring speech, which brought to tears many thousands of participants of Starmus VI in Armenia, directly below.
