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Inamori Foundation Presents the 2003 Kyoto Prizes for Lifetime Achievements in Technology, Science and the Arts Awards honor pursuit of peace and betterment of society through a balance of technology and humanity KYOTO, JAPAN - November 10, 2003 - The Inamori Foundation today presented its 19th annual Kyoto Prizes. Considered among the world's leading awards for lifetime achievement, the Kyoto Prizes are presented to individuals and groups worldwide who have contributed significantly to human progress in the areas of "Advanced Technology," "Basic Sciences," and "Arts and Philosophy." Each laureate received a diploma, a Kyoto Prize gold medal, and a cash gift of 50 million yen (approximately US$400,000) during prize ceremonies at the Kyoto International Conference Hall, with workshops and lectures continuing through November 12. In addition, the laureates will convene in San Diego, Calif., March 3-5, 2003, for the third annual Kyoto Laureate Symposium at the University of San Diego. Considered among the world's leading awards for lifetime achievement, the Kyoto Prizes recognize significant contributions 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 and president of The Inamori Foundation. "It is my hope that the Kyoto Prizes will encourage balanced development of both our scientific and our spiritual sides, and hence provide impetus toward the structuring of new philosophical paradigms." Advanced Technology The 2003 Kyoto Prize for Advanced Technology was chosen from the field of Materials Sciences and Engineering. Chemist George McClelland Whitesides received the award for pioneering a technique of organic molecular self-assembly and a number of important applications for this new technology in the field of nanomaterials science. Professor 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, or 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 received the award for establishing a new perspective on astrophysics by elucidating the phenomena of the solar wind and cosmical magnetohydrodynamics. In 1958, Eugene Parker discovered that a stiff 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 satellite observation, 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 Mr. 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 "Living National 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. In recent science fiction and action movies such as The Matrix, one can see a variation of Bunraku-based visual effects that include "bullet time," which is the use of super slow motion to stretch and freeze time. Bunraku accomplishes a similar slow motion experience using three puppeteers and careful manipulation instead of the teams of video production artists employed to produce Hollywood special effects. About The Inamori Foundation The Inamori Foundation was established in 1984 by Kazuo Inamori, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Kyocera Corporation. The Kyoto Prizes were founded in 1985, in line with Dr. Inamori's belief that man has no higher calling than to strive for the greater good of society, and that mankind's future can be assured only when there is a balance between our scientific progress and our spiritual depth. It is characteristic of the Kyoto Prizes that they are presented to individuals or groups in appreciation not only of their outstanding achievements, but also of the personal characteristics on which they have built their contributions to mankind. The laureates are selected through a strict and fair process considering candidates recommended from around the world. As of November 2003 the Kyoto Prize has been awarded to 63 laureates from 12 nations - ranging from scientists, engineers and researchers to architects, sculptors and film directors. The United States has produced the most recipients, with 27 laureates, followed by the United Kingdom (nine), France (seven) and Japan (eight). # # #
Contact:Stephanie Kellems, Alarus Agency for the Inamori Foundation Phone: 1-(619) 235-4542 e-mail: skellems@alarus.biz Jay Scovie, North American Media Liaison The Inamori Foundation Phone: 1-(858) 576-2674 e-mail: jay.scovie@kyocera.com Download photos at: http://www.kyotoprize.org [ back to top ] [ back to press releases ] |
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