Professor Stephen Hawking has announced that he does not intend to retire from the University of Cambridge until 2012, and may stay beyond that date if he is able to continue.

The announcement comes days after Professor Hawking received the 2010 Cosmos Award for Outstanding Public Presentation of Science by the Planetary Society. Louis Friedman, the Executive Director of the Society, has referred to Professor Hawking as a “science superstar”.

Professor Hawking, a Fellow at Gonville & Caius College, will continue in his role as Director of Research in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics until 30th September 2012 when he will have reached the age of 70.

According to University policy, academic staff are obliged to retire at the end of the academic year in which they turn 67. Applications to continue working beyond the normal retirement age, however, are carefully considered, with 11 academics being retained in 2008-09.

Professor Hawking had originally decided to comply with the 67 retirement age when he stepped down from his post as Lucasian Professor of Mathematics in October last year. He had held that position since 1979.

Professor Michael Green, a pioneer of string theory, was appointed his successor to the prestigious post, which was once held by Sir Isaac Newton.

The news that Professor Hawking has now decided to stay beyond the traditional retirement age puts an end to rumours that he is planning to move to Canada.

The widely-circulated rumours began earlier this year when one of Professor Hawking’s assistants was misquoted as saying that the academic had accepted a permanent position with the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Ontario, Canada.

Professor Hawking was appointed to the position of Distinguished Research Chair at the Perimeter Institute in November 2008, and is scheduled to spend two months there in the summer. He has no plans, however, to move there permanently.