Students and professors from the University of Cambridge paid tribute to world-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking, who died at the age of 76 at his home in Cambridge on Wednesday. /VCG Photo

The university’s Gonville and Caius College, which the physicist was a fellow for more than half a century, remembered one of their most beloved figures. Stephen Toope, the university’s vice chancellor, sent his condolences, saying: “His character was an inspiration to millions. He will be much missed.” /VCG Photo

The college flag flew at half-mast. /VCG Photo

People left flowers at the entrance of the college in memory of Hawking. /VCG Photo

Some queued outside the college’s chapel and wrote in the book of condolence. /VCG Photo

Hawking came to Cambridge in 1962 as a PhD student and rose to become the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics - a position once held by Isaac Newton - in 1979. In 2009, he retired from this position. He then worked as director of research at the Cambridge University Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics until he passed away. /VCG Photo