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Historic Collaboration between Major Universities Brings 19th Annual Kyoto Prize Laureates to San Diego San Diego's three major universities to host Third Annual Kyoto Laureate Symposium; Six area students to receive commemorative Kyoto Youth Scholar Discovery Awards SAN DIEGO – Feb. 17, 2004 – The Inamori Foundation and the University of San Diego will bring together the laureates of the 2003 Kyoto Prize for a symposium showcasing their lifelong achievements March 3-5, 2004, through public events at USD; University of California, San Diego; and San Diego State University. Recognized as Japan's highest private award for lifetime achievement, the Kyoto Prize is presented annually by the non-profit Inamori Foundation to honor those who have contributed significantly to the scientific, cultural, and spiritual development of mankind. The inaugural Gala The Many Faces of the Kyoto Prize will serve as the celebrated opening of the symposium at 5:30 p.m., March 3, 2004, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel in downtown San Diego. Gala proceeds will benefit the newly established Kyoto Youth Scholar Discovery Awards, an essay contest for San Diego-Tijuana area high school students reflecting the three annual Kyoto Prize categories: Advanced Technology, Basic Sciences, and Arts and Philosophy. Six recipients of these Kyoto Youth Scholar Discovery Awards (three from San Diego and three from Tijuana) will receive significant cash gifts to assist in funding their higher education. Gala co-chairs include Malin Burnham of the Burnham Companies, Marsha Chandler, UCSD's acting Chancellor, and Tom Fat of Fat City, Inc. The Gala Master of Ceremonies will be Parade Magazine's Science Editor David H. Levy. Mr. Levy is a world-renowned author and discoverer of comets, most notably Shoemaker-Levy 9, which collided with Jupiter in 1994. The Symposium will continue March 4-5, 2004 with presentations by the laureates and responses by distinguished scholars in each laureate's field. The works of the 2003 laureates -- Dr. George McClelland Whitesides, Dr. Eugene Newman Parker, and Maestro Tamao Yoshida -- will provide a rare glimpse into some of the most remarkable achievements of our time in the areas of materials science, astrophysics, and Bunraku puppet theater. "I am convinced that the future of humanity can be assured only through a balance of scientific progress and spiritual depth," said Dr. Kazuo Inamori, founder of the Inamori Foundation. "It is my sincere hope that the Kyoto Prize may serve to encourage the cultivation of both our scientific and spiritual sides." University of San Diego President Dr. Mary E. Lyons, commenting on USD's ongoing role with the Kyoto Laureate Symposium, stated, "We are very pleased that Dr. Inamori has again chosen the University of San Diego as the host for this broad community event. We are thrilled to have the other universities and colleges join us in this three-day celebration of the Kyoto Prize." Gala Co-chair Malin Burnham, noted philanthropist and businessman, echoed Dr. Lyons' sentiments: "This Symposium demonstrates the international status of both the Kyoto Prize and San Diego. San Diego's universities and colleges have joined hands to ensure the future of the Kyoto Laureate Symposium in our city. The leaders of higher learning institutions in San Diego and Tijuana understand the significance and prestige of this event, and what an incredible honor and resource it is for our community." Inamori established his foundation in 1984 with a personal donation of 20 billion yen; his subsequent donations have raised the Foundation's net assets to approximately 64.5 billion yen (about $540 million) as of March 31, 2002. He created the Kyoto Prize after consultation with the Nobel Foundation of Sweden, which sent representatives to Japan in 1985 to accept the first Kyoto Prize as a special commemorative award. Since then, the Kyoto Prize has been presented annually in the categories of Advanced Technology, Basic Sciences, and Arts and Philosophy. As of November 2003, the Kyoto Prize has been awarded to 63 laureates from 12 countries - ranging from scientists, engineers and researchers to architects, sculptors, and film directors. Laureates receive a diploma, a Kyoto Prize medal, and a cash award of 50 million yen (approximately $450,000) per prize category. The United States has produced the most recipients, with 27 laureates, followed by the United Kingdom (nine), Japan (eight) and France (seven). Symposium Participants: Advanced Technology The 2003 Kyoto Prize for Advanced Technology was chosen from the field of Materials Sciences and Engineering. Chemist George McClelland Whitesides, a professor at Harvard University, received the award for pioneering a technique of organic molecular self-assembly and many applications for this new technology in the field of nanomaterials science. Dr. Whitesides' discoveries increase our understanding of how molecules can assemble themselves and how such assembly can be applied to building practical devices only a few millionths of an inch in size (nanotechnology). Whitesides applied his technique for organic molecular self-assembly, or "self-assembled monolayers (SAMs)," to develop "soft lithography," a micro-contact printing method that employs organic substances, making complex patterning possible at the micron level. The pharmaceuticals industry, for example, is using "soft lithography" to make tools that facilitate the development of powerful new drugs. Researchers are also adapting the technique to make a new class of organic microelectronics. "Soft lithography" promises to make more powerful semiconductor devices at a significantly lower cost than conventional processes. In the future, nanotechnology is expected to help create machines, medicines and materials that can store trillions of bits of information, detect the onset of cancer, and even restore mobility in a paralyzed limb. Basic Sciences The 2003 Kyoto Prize for Basic Sciences was chosen from the field of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Astronomy and Astrophysics. Physicist Eugene Newman Parker, a professor emeritus at the University of Chicago, received the award for establishing a new perspective on astrophysics by elucidating the phenomena of solar wind and cosmical magnetohydrodynamics. In 1958, Dr. Parker theorized that a strong wind blows incessantly from the sun, filling local interstellar space with ionized gas. With this discovery came much opposition and adamant adversaries; however, in 1962 his theory was proven through direct observation by Mariner II, and is now universally accepted. Having shown that the space between the sun and the Earth is filled with this supersonic flow of charged particles -- and not a vacuum, as had been believed -- his theory triggered drastic changes in the perception of space. His discovery has opened new dimensions in Earth and space sciences, and has become the bedrock of solar astronomy. Through his work there have been studies that show how the sun and its "solar wind" are capable of disrupting electrical power, short-wave radio, television and telegraph signals, navigational equipment (GPS and LORAN), military early-warning radar systems, the climate, and even communication satellites. In addition to his findings on solar wind, he used cosmical magnetohydrodynamics (the study of the interaction of magnetic fields in space) to explain the process that creates the solar magnetic field, what has now come to be known as the "Parker Instability." His theories have been used to expound on the mechanisms of geomagnetic storms, auroras, the creation of distant stars, and other solar-terrestrial phenomena. Arts and Philosophy The 2003 Kyoto Prize for Arts and Philosophy was chosen from the field of Theater, Cinema. Receiving the award was Maestro Tamao Yoshida, regarded as the world's foremost master of Bunraku puppetry, a classical Japanese performance art. Yoshida, who was also designated as one of Japan's "National Living Treasures" in 1997, has provided significant contributions to Bunraku's current status as the world's most highly refined form of puppet theater. At the age of 84, Yoshida continues to perform without any sign of decline, and is considered a premier stage artist. His devotion to the expression of the human condition is evident throughout each performance. His subtle and refined techniques, artistic sensibility and deeply detailed knowledge of traditional stories have all contributed to the accolades that Bunraku has earned among audiences outside Japan as an art that expresses the richness of the human heart more profoundly than any other puppet genre. About the Inamori Foundation The Inamori Foundation and the Kyoto Prize reflect Dr. 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 the enrichment of the human spirit. It is characteristic of the Kyoto Prize that it is 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. 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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