I’m not the most scientific person, by any measure. I stink at math and the thought of trying to balance a chemistry formula still gives me the shakes! But I was, and am, a huge fan of Dr. Stephen Hawking. Outside of Mr. Wizard, he was the first to make science feel accessible for me. Maybe it is because the concept of a multiverse is something that I’d toyed with for a long time due to my love of science fiction and comics. It was cool knowing that a world respected scientist had formed a theory around that concept. Plus, he was so self-deprecating, how could you not like the man? 

I was first introduced to him in Philosophy 101. I believe that we may have been discussing cosmology and watched a short film about Dr. Hawking and his concepts. It was over my head, at least the hard science of it all, but I embraced the philosophy behind it and continued to follow his career after that. In the 90s he appeared on an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, participating in a poker game on the holodeck with Data, Einstein and I believe Sir Isaac Newton. Even then he was mouthing off at Albert about his skill at poker. It only added to his cool factor that he embraced pop culture as well.

Although he went on to continue to occasionally appear on TV shows and embrace social media, it was his continued work in physics and his ability to give it to the masses that has made him such an icon in my mind. After contracting ALS at 21 and being told that he would live for only two more years and yet continuing his work is beyond inspiring. You don’t even have to care about physics, chemistry, or astrology to understand the human spirit is a powerful thing. He did not let the sickness of his body stop his mind from soaring to greater and great heights. If nothing else, if you can think of that when you remember Dr. Hawking, that can be enough to carry you a lifetime.