Kyoto Prize at Oxford

The Kyoto Prize is an international award to honour those who have contributed significantly to the scientific, cultural, and spiritual betterment of humankind. The awards are held annually in November in Kyoto, Japan. The Laureates travel to Oxford in the following May for the Kyoto Prize at Oxford, hosted by the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford.

The Kyoto Prize at Oxford took place on 9–10 May 2023. The lectures are available to watch on our YouTube channel

Next year the Kyoto Prize at Oxford takes place on 7–8 May 2024.

The Blavatnik School of Government and the Inamori Foundation find a shared purpose in inspiring, educating and connecting individuals who strive for the greater good of society.

Laureates

Carver Mead
Carver Mead
Electronics engineer and applied physicist
Bryan T Grenfell
Bryan T Grenfell
Population biologist 
Zakir Hussain
Zakir Hussain
Tabla Player
Andrew Chi-Chih Yao

Andrew Chi-Chih Yao

Dean, Institute for Interdisciplinary Information Sciences, Tsinghua University
Computer scientist

Andrew Chi-Chih Yao created new trends in computer science and made a great contribution to cutting-edge research in various areas, especially in security, secure computing, and quantum computation through establishing innovative fundamental theories for computation and communication. His achievements are continuing to influence current real-world problems such as security, secure computing, and big data processing.

Kyoto Prize award category: Advanced Technology (Information Science)

Robert G Roeder

Robert G Roeder

Arnold and Mabel Beckman Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University
Biochemist and molecular biologist

Robert G Roeder has revealed the principle of the regulatory mechanism of transcription in eukaryotes through his over 50 years of transcriptional research, by identifying functions of a series of factors such as three distinct RNA polymerases, basic transcription factors, one of the first gene-specific factors, and regulators in transcription from chromatin. Through his achievements, he has made significant contributions to develop present life science.

Kyoto Prize award category: Basic Sciences (Life Sciences – Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Neurobiology

Bruno Latour

Bruno Latour

Professor Emeritus, Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po)
Philosopher

Bruno Latour has revolutionised the conventional view of science by treating nature, humans, laboratory equipment, and other entities as equal actors, and describing technoscience as the hybrid network of these actors. His philosophy re-examines “modernity” based on the dualism of nature and society. He has a large influence across disciplines, with his multifaceted activities that include proposals regarding global environmental issues.

Kyoto Prize award category: Arts and Philosophy (Thoughts and Ethics)