The scientist who gave his name to the "god particle" hopes a prize named in his honour will inspire the young students of today.
First Minister Alex Salmond has announced an annual prize in honour of Professor Peter Higgs.
Open to Scottish school students who excel in physics, the Higgs Prize will be formally launched by the First Minister and the scientist on Tuesday.
The event is part of a week designed to showcase Scotland's scientific expertise, with Mr Salmond also expected to make a significant announcement about life sciences and mark a landmark in space science.
Prof Higgs hit upon his defining concept during a walk in the Cairngorms in 1964 when he started to consider the existence of a particle that gives matter its mass. He wrote two scientific papers on his theory and was eventually published in the Physical Review Letters journal, sparking a 40-year hunt for the Higgs boson.
Last July a team from the European nuclear research facility at Cern, Geneva announced the detection of a particle that fitted the description of the elusive Higgs.
The Higgs Prize will give young physics students the chance to win a trip to Cern where work researching the Higgs particle continues.
Prof Higgs, who has retired from Edinburgh University, said: "I am pleased to have my name associated with this prize and hope that this will inspire young students of today, just as I was myself in the past. I know very well how exciting and amazing visits to Cern can be. Rewarding those who have excelled in physics in this way and supporting the next generation of scientists is to be warmly welcomed."
Mr Salmond described Prof Higgs as a "household name who is known the world over".
He added: "His work is celebrated internationally and Scotland is very proud of him. The Higgs Prize will be an opportunity for some of Scotland's brightest young school physicists to see for themselves the cutting-edge of international physics at Cern. I'm delighted that Professor Higgs' achievements will inspire future generations of Scots."
