After winning a Nobel Prize on Tuesday, Saul Perlmutter, a physics professor at the University of California, Berkeley, gave an energetic talk about his discovery that the universe is expanding at an accelerating pace to a roomful of admirers and journalists.

At the end of his address, Mr. Perlmutter, who shared the Nobel Prize with Adam Riess and Brian Schmidt, was asked about another distinction that comes with the prize: one of the very few permanently reserved and free parking spaces on the university’s busy campus.

“Probably the single most important thing about the Nobel Prize for most people is whether they get the coveted parking space on campus,” Mr. Perlmutter said.

The crowd erupted in howls of laughter as Chancellor Robert Birgenau leapt onto the stage and handed Mr. Perlmutter his golden Nobel laureate parking pass.