This year’s Kyoto Prize at Oxford, which took place on 9 and 10 May, celebrated the discoveries and innovations of the Kyoto Prize Laureates across the fields of engineering and applied physics, population biology and music.
Following a hybrid event last year, this year’s celebrations took place in person at the Blavatnik School of Government, the Weston Library and the Holywell Music Room in Oxford. Students and faculty from across the University of Oxford, local school pupils and members of the public joined sessions across the two days. Online livestreams were made available for those who were unable to attend in person.
The three Laureates shared insights from their outstanding careers in a series of public lectures, each of which was followed by question and answer sessions from the audience.
All of the sessions are available to watch on the Blavatnik School of Government’s YouTube channel.
- Watch ‘Engineering concepts clarify physical law’ by engineer and applied physicist Carver Mead.
- Watch ‘Epidemiological and evolutionary dynamics of pathogens in time and space’ by Bryan T. Grenfell.
- Watch the pre-eminent tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain give a lecture and performance.
- The Laureates’ panel discussion, which saw all three Laureates engage in a conversation with Professor Ngaire Woods, Dean of the Blavatnik School. Some of the themes explored included government and public policy in each of their fields, future challenges and which skill each Laureates wished they had outside of their professional field. The panel discussion was followed a Q&A and a celebratory dinner at the Weston Library.
A crucial part of the Kyoto Prize at Oxford is the opportunity for students, researchers and academics from across the wider University to engage with the Laureates in their respective subject areas. This year, the Laureates spent time with our colleagues across Oxford in the departments of Materials, Engineering Science, Music, Population Health, the Big Data Institute and the Oxford Martin School.
We look forward to the announcement of the 2023 Kyoto Prize Laureates and to celebrating their achievements during the Kyoto Prize at Oxford on 7–8 May 2023.