Stephen Hawking is attending the festival, which is hosted by NTNU. Photo: Derek Storm / Splash News

The Starmus festival moves to Norway

  • Published 03.10.16

The world’s most ambitious science and music festival is moving to Norway with an impressive lineup including Stephen Hawking, Nobel Prize-winning scientists and legendary musicians.

Trondheim, the technological capital of Norway, will be hosting the fourth Starmus festival on 18–23 June 2017.

Under the title “Life and the Universe”, the festival will showcase the best from both the academic and cultural world. The academic superstar Stephen Hawking will present to his largest audience ever, and other confirmed participants include some of the world’s leading scientists in the fields of physics, chemistry and medicine – in addition to a legendary cosmonaut, astronauts and an award-winning composer.

More names will be announced in the next month.

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) will host the festival, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Research in Norway, Trondheim municipality, Sør-Trøndelag county municipality and the Research Council of Norway.

About Starmus:

The Starmus festival was established in 2011 by astrophysicist Garik Israelian. His aim was to make the most universal science and art accessible to the public. The first three festivals were held in the Canary Islands.

The Starmus board consists of Stephen Hawking, Brian May, Peter Gabriel, Richard Dawkins, Alexei Leonov, Robert Williams, David Eicher, Jack Szostack and the festival’s founder, Garik Israelian.

“A very exciting opportunity.” Stephen Hawking

“After three successful festivals in The Canary Islands, it is an honour to be invited to the scientific capital of Norway, Trondheim, to expand Starmus and reach even greater heights.” Garik Israelian, founder of Starmus.

About Trondheim and NTNU:

Situated just above 63 degrees north, the coastal city of Trondheim has a population of more than 188 000. NTNU is the largest university in Norway, with some 39 000 students and 6700 full-time equivalent staff.

NTNU has the main responsibility for higher education in technology in Norway, and it is the country’s premier institution for the education of engineers. The university offers several programmes of professional study and a broad academic curriculum in the social sciences, teacher education, humanities, medicine and health sciences, economics, finance and administration, as well as architecture and the arts.

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Situated just above 63 degrees north, the coastal city of Trondheim has a population of more than 188 000. NTNU is the largest university in Norway, with some 39 000 students and 6700 full-time equivalent staff. Photo: Maxime Landrot / NTNU Comm.Div.

Trondheim has a vibrant cultural life, and the city hosts festivals in genres such as jazz, blues, chamber music, world music, rock and pop. During the Starmus festival in June 2017, the sun will go down at midnight and rise at 3am.

About confirmed speakers: