<p>Hawking, who has motor neurone disease, completed his last day as Lucasian Professor of Mathematics on September 30.<br /><br />The university said Professor Green had been elected as the 18th person to take up the position.<br /><br />Green will start work in his new role on November 1. Earlier scientists who held the Lucasian professorship included Sir Isaac Newton.<br /><br />Green already holds the John Humphrey Plummer Professorship of Theoretical Physics at the university. He is a pioneer of string theory, the idea that the fundamental building blocks of space and time are tiny vibrating strings.<br /><br />Peter Haynes, head of the department of applied mathematics and theoretical physics, said: “Michael Green has played a leading role in theoretical physics research in the department since 1993.”</p>
<p>Hawking, who has motor neurone disease, completed his last day as Lucasian Professor of Mathematics on September 30.<br /><br />The university said Professor Green had been elected as the 18th person to take up the position.<br /><br />Green will start work in his new role on November 1. Earlier scientists who held the Lucasian professorship included Sir Isaac Newton.<br /><br />Green already holds the John Humphrey Plummer Professorship of Theoretical Physics at the university. He is a pioneer of string theory, the idea that the fundamental building blocks of space and time are tiny vibrating strings.<br /><br />Peter Haynes, head of the department of applied mathematics and theoretical physics, said: “Michael Green has played a leading role in theoretical physics research in the department since 1993.”</p>