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San Diego's Kyoto Laureate Symposium to Highlight International Achievements in Technology, Science and the Arts Symposium to Focus On the Pursuit of Peace and the Betterment of Society Through a Balance of Technology and Humanity SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 17, 2002-- The Inamori Foundation and the University of San Diego will bring together the laureates of the 2001 Kyoto Prizes, including citizens of the United States, the United Kingdom, Austria, Russia and Japan, for a symposium at the university's new Joan Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, Feb. 6-8, 2002. This inaugural Kyoto Laureate Symposium will mark the first time that laureates of the Kyoto Prizes have convened outside of Japan. The three-day agenda features addresses by the laureates, responses by scholars in each laureate's field, and panel discussions relating the laureates' work to the improvement of society and the pursuit of peace. Recognized among the world's leading awards for lifetime achievement, the Kyoto Prizes are presented annually by the non-profit Inamori Foundation to recognize people worldwide who have contributed significantly to the scientific, cultural and spiritual development of mankind. "Today, we are rushing ahead with incredible scientific and technological achievements, while understanding of our emotional and psychological development lags deplorably," said Dr. Kazuo Inamori, founder of the Inamori Foundation and chairman emeritus of Kyocera Corporation. "It is my hope that the Kyoto Prizes will encourage balanced development of both our scientific and our spiritual sides, and hence provide new impetus toward the structuring of new philosophical paradigms." "The University of San Diego is honored to welcome the Inamori Foundation and the Kyoto Prize laureates," said Dr. Alice B. Hayes, the university's president. "Like Dr. Inamori, we strive to combine intellectual advancement with social responsibility. We see the Kyoto Prizes and the Joan Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice as a perfect match." Inamori established his foundation in 1984 with a personal donation of 20 billion yen; his subsequent donations raised the Foundation's net assets to approximately 64.4 billion yen (about $500 million) as of March 2001. He created the Kyoto Prizes after consultation with the Nobel Foundation of Sweden, which received the first Kyoto Prize as a special commemorative award in 1985. Since then, the Kyoto Prizes have been presented annually in the categories of Advanced Technology, Basic Sciences, and Arts and Philosophy. As of January 2002, Kyoto Prizes have been awarded to 57 laureates from 12 countries -- ranging from scientists, engineers and researchers to architects, sculptors and film directors. Each year's laureates share academic honors, Kyoto Prize medals, and cash gifts of 50 million yen per prize category (approximately $400,000). The United States leads all nations with 24 laureates, followed by the United Kingdom (nine), France (six) and Japan (six). Symposium Participants: Advanced Technology The 2001 Kyoto Prize laureates in Advanced Technology are Dr. Zhores Ivanovich Alferov of Russia, Dr. Izuo Hayashi of Japan, and Dr. Morton B. Panish of the United States. Putting political ideologies aside, the unlikely trio made pioneering contributions to the advancement of opto-electronics with their achievement of the continuous operation of semiconductor lasers at room temperature. Their technology, with its high light-emitting efficiency, compactness, light weight and low cost, is now essential to modern life -- employed in fiber-optic communication networks, CD and DVD players, laser printers, and a wide range of other innovations. Basic Sciences The 2001 Kyoto Prize laureate in Basic Sciences is Professor John Maynard Smith of the United Kingdom. Maynard Smith established a unified understanding of fundamental issues in evolutionary biology through his proposal of the "evolutionarily stable strategy" (ESS) employing game theory. In short, he concluded that the selfish behavior of groups produces a social relationship in equilibrium. Among other things, this theory explains why territorial fights among wild animals rarely end in death -- unlike disputes among humans. While ESS is now a key concept for achieving a more unified understanding of the diverse field of biology, it also has become a key tenet in economic theory. Arts and Philosophy The 2001 Kyoto Prize for Arts and Philosophy is Gyorgy Ligeti, a composer from Austria. This master of modern music has enchanted people the world over with his unique musical style. A Hungarian-born survivor of the Holocaust, Ligeti established his reputation with "Apparitions," a piece that features his original tone cluster technique. "Atmospheres," a subsequent piece featured in the film, "2001: A Space Odyssey," was written with a technique called "micropolyphony." As one of the first proponents of minimalism in later decades, Ligeti composed the avant-garde opera "Le Grand Macabre" and a group of pieces with strongly delineated polyrhythms. About the Inamori Foundation The Inamori Foundation and the Kyoto Prizes reflect Inamori's belief that human beings have no higher calling than to strive for the greater good of humankind and all the world -- and that mankind's future can be assured only when there is a balance between scientific development and psychological maturity. It is characteristic of the Kyoto Prizes that they are presented in appreciation not only of outstanding human achievements, but also of the spirit that motivated each laureate's contributions to mankind. About the University of San Diego Chartered in 1949, USD enrolls more than 7,000 undergraduate and graduate students who choose from more than 60 degree programs. The academic divisions include the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business Administration, School of Education, School of Law, and the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science. USD is best known for its commitment to teaching, the liberal arts, the formation of values and community service. The university recently opened the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, an innovative new center for global conflict resolution and human rights. CONTACT: U.S.A.: Jay Scovie, North American Media Liaison Telephone: (858) 576-2674 E-mail: jay.scovie@kyocera.com Or Fleishman-Hillard for Kyoto Symposium Brian Brokowski, (619) 237-7716 E-mail: brokowsb@fleishman.com [ back to top ] [ back to press releases ] |
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