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May 27, 2008

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New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will open the first annual World Science Festival, an unprecedented celebration of scientific discovery, with a speech—“World Class Science By and For the People of New York City”—at Columbia University’s Low Memorial Library at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 28.

The Mayor’s keynote remarks will kickoff the Festival’s opening event, the World Science Summit, at which more than 125 leaders from science, business, government, media, and academia will explore how today’s scientific discoveries will shape tomorrow’s world. By highlighting the strength of scientific discovery and education taking place in New York, the Mayor will underscore the city’s status as a global research center and the contributions basic science will make to the city’s economic engine in years to come.

Organized by Columbia University and the Festival, with the participation of the Aspen Institute, the invitation-only Summit will feature Nobel Laureates David Baltimore, Steven Chu, David Gross, Dudley Herschbach, Leon Lederman, Columbia physics professor Horst Stormer, F. Sherwood Rowland, Harold Varmus, and Carl Wieman interacting with business leaders, policy makers, other academics and creative artists to discuss the many ways in which science acts as a key player in global affairs.

From left, Alan Alda, Muppet Bunsen Honeydew and World Science Festival co-founder Brian Greene, a professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University, at the opening press conference of the World Science Festival on April 2. Photograph © Chris Lee

The public programming of the World Science Festival begins on Thursday, May 29 and runs through June 1, and includes 40 separate events at more than 22 venues throughout New York City. The Festival seeks to transform the public perception of science by producing high caliber programs that make science exciting, accessible, compelling, and inspirational. 

“The 21st century will be shaped by science,” said Brian Greene, co-founder of the World Science Festival and professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University. “From the enormous challenges we face and opportunities we have available, science will be the critical driver. To make informed decisions, we need a general public that’s not put off by science—rather, the public needs to be excited by science and prepared to engage with its implications for the future. Through the World Science Festival, New York can help lead the way in sparking a new public attitude toward science.”

"It is clear that the future of society and of our planet is inextricably linked with our continued ability to make pioneering breakthroughs in basic and applied science," said Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger. "We are proud to be among the academic partners of the World Science Festival and a host to its World Science Summit event. But more importantly, we are committed to using this platform as one more way of fulfilling our ongoing mission of providing a global center of award-winning medical and scientific research that advances human understanding and enhances all of our lives."

The Summit will convene on May 28th at 8:15 a.m. with remarks by Brian Greene, who will be joined by six-time Emmy Award-winning actor Alan Alda.  

Following the Mayor’s remarks at 8:30 a.m., the Summit will feature the announcement of the recipients of the inaugural Kavli Prizes—million-dollar awards in the fields of nanoscience, neuroscience and astrophysics. 

The announcement will be broadcast from Oslo, Norway by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters at 9 a.m. in New York City and 3 p.m. in Oslo. Attending the event in New York will be Fred Kavli, founder and chairman of The Kavli Foundation, and Reidun Sirevåg, Secretary General of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters in Oslo. 

A press teleconference with Mr. Kavli, selection committee chairpersons, and available prize recipients will be held at Columbia’s Low Memorial Library at 10 a.m. following the announcement of the winners and a panel discussion.