The Grand Opening of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
Arthur J. Carty
Waterloo, Ontario
1 October 2004
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Thank you for giving me the opportunity to congratulate the founders and contributors for their vision,
commitment and generosity in creating this unique Canadian institution, The Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics.
I am pleased with the partnership that the Canadian government has been able to signal on this unique venture.
The concept of an independent research institute with a culture and environment dedicated to attracting the world’s
finest scholars to unravel the fundamental underpinnings of physics and nature itself was a brilliant idea.
To think that Canada might soon be the location for the leading centre of theoretical physics in the world would
have been dismissed as an impossible dream by most scientists only three years ago. Yet here we are with the dream
unfolding!
There is a citation from J.B. Conant, taken from a letter to the N.Y. Times, which perhaps most aptly captures the
philosophy behind The Perimeter Institute and I quote, “There is only one proven method of assisting the advancement
of pure science, that of picking men (and women) of genius, backing them heavily and leaving them to direct themselves.”
This is certainly key to what The Perimeter Institute is all about but it is not all. Involving and training outstanding
young scholars, reaching out to the world through international collaborations and visitors programs and conveying the
wonders of the physical world to young people and the public at large are all part of a remarkable vision.
As National Science Advisor I want to express my admiration and support for an initiative which is making the world
sit up and notice. It will I hope serve as a model which other entrepreneurs and philanthropists as well as governments
will emulate.
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