The Inamori Foundation has announced the Laureates who will receive the 2022 Kyoto Prize, and whom we will host in May 2023 for the Kyoto Prize at Oxford.
This year, the Kyoto Prize Laureates cover the fields of electronics, population biology and music. The Kyoto Prize Laureates for 2022 are:
– Carver Mead – Advanced Technology (Prize Field: Electronics)
Gordon and Betty Moore Professor of Engineering and Applied Science, Emeritus, California Institute of Technology
Leading contributions to the establishment of the guiding principles for VLSI systems design
Carver Mead proposed and promoted a new methodology to divide the increasingly complicated design process of very large-scale integration (VLSI) systems into logic, circuit, and layout designs, and to separate them from the manufacturing process. He also contributed greatly to the advancement of computer-aided design technology and paved the way to the electronic design automation of VLSIs that led to the immense development of VLSI-based electronics and industry.
– Bryan T. Grenfell – Basic Sciences (Prize Field: Biological Sciences (Evolution, Behaviour, Ecology, Environment))
Kathryn Briger and Sarah Fenton Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Public Affairs, Princeton University
Development of an innovative methodology for integrative analysis of pathogen evolution and epidemics
Bryan T. Grenfell proposed “phylodynamics,” a methodology that predicts infectious disease dynamics of RNA viruses by considering viral evolution, and thus contributed to the development of the research field that integrates immune dynamics, epidemiology, and evolutionary biology. By virtue of these achievements, he has been instrumental in understanding infection mechanisms and proposing effective infectious disease control policies.
– Zakir Hussain – Arts and Philosophy (Prize Field: Music)
Tabla Player
A highly innovative and creative artist who opened up the new musical possibilities of the tabla, a traditional Indian percussion instrument
A leading tabla player of Hindustani music, Zakir Hussain transcended the framework of traditional Indian music and opened up a new world of music by collaborating with musicians of various genres from around the world. With his superb technique, engaging performances, and rich creativity, he made a tremendous impact on musicians worldwide.
The Kyoto Prize is an international award presented to individuals who have contributed significantly to the scientific, cultural, and spiritual betterment of humankind.
Sadly, the traditional Kyoto Prize Presentation Ceremony which usually takes place in Kyoto, Japan in November has had to be cancelled again due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and travel-related issues. However, the Commemorative Lectures by the three Laureates will be delivered online. Details of these lectures will be announced in due course on the Kyoto Prize website.
Each laureate will receive a diploma, the Kyoto Prize medal (20K gold), and prize money of 100 million yen. The laureates will travel to San Diego in March 2023 for the Kyoto Prize Symposium, before travelling to Oxford for the Kyoto Prize at Oxford, scheduled for 9-10 May 2023 at the Blavatnik School of Government.
Images courtesy of Inamori Foundation.