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Jan 14 – Jan 20, 2013 Edition Kyoto Prize Fellowship Calls for Entries
SAN DIEGODecember 13, 2012 — Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) is now accepting applications for the 2013 Kyoto Prize Symposium Journalism Fellowship, a program that provides an exceptional learning opportunity for journalists seeking to further their knowledge and depth of reporting in technology, science and the arts. The selected journalist will travel to San Diego in March 2013 where he or she will attend the annual Kyoto Prize Symposium, including March 12 opening events at PLNU and lectures by the latest Kyoto Prize laureates on March 13-14 at San Diego State University, University of California, San Diego and the University of San Diego.
During the program, the journalist will have opportunities to meet and interview the 2012 laureates of the Kyoto Prize, Japan’s highest private award for global achievement. The fellowship experience is intended to enhance the journalist’s ability to report on fields affected by the works of the latest laureates, to better understand the global impact of advances in each field, and to gain an historical context of the laureates’ work.
The application deadline is Friday, February 1, 2013.
The 2012 Kyoto Prize laureates are:
In “Advanced Technology” ¯ Dr. Ivan Sutherland, 74, an American computer scientist and visiting scientist at Portland State University, is widely regarded as the “Father of Computer Graphics” for his lifetime of pioneering work in developing visual methods of interacting with computers. Dr. Sutherland gained early attention in 1963 by developing Sketchpad, a graphical interface program that established a paradigm for today’s computer-aided design (CAD) systems and numerous other computer graphic-based applications. Sutherland is currently engaged in research of asynchronous computing. In “Basic Sciences” ¯ Dr. Yoshinori Ohsumi*, 67, a Japanese scientist, researcher and professor at the Frontier Research Center of the Tokyo Institute of Technology, has made groundbreaking contributions toward elucidating the molecular mechanisms and physiological significance of autophagy. Autophagy, the process by which a cell degrades its own proteins in order to adapt to nutritional deficiency and other influences, is now regarded as a vital cell-recycling system and may aid in future developments to treat neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cancer and other age-related ailments. In “Arts and Philosophy” ¯ Professor Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak*, 70, an Indian intellectual, activist, and University Professor at Columbia University, exemplifies the modern intellectual through her theoretical work for the humanities based on comparative literature and her devotion to multifaceted educational activities, especially in developing regions. She is perhaps best known for her essay “Can the Subaltern Speak?,” which spotlights those who are economically dispossessed, forcibly marginalized and rendered without agency by their social status.
“The Kyoto Prize laureates are at the top of their fields in science, technology and arts and philosophy,” said Dr. Bob Brower, president, PNLU. “Beyond that, the Kyoto Prize recognizes the significance of their contributions to mankind. The fellowship gives journalists unique access to these laureates in the engaging, interactive setting of the Kyoto Prize Symposium.”
The fellowship is open to North American journalists and covers transportation, accommodations, and per-diem expenses. The selection committee, comprised of professional journalists and journalism professors, will announce the 2013 Spring Fellow on February 8.
Applications are available at www.pointloma.edu/kyotoprize.
The Kyoto Prize an international award for lifetime achievement is given to individuals and groups worldwide who have made outstanding contributions to humankind’s scientific, cultural and spiritual development. Each prize consists of a diploma, a 20-karat-gold Kyoto Prize medal, and a cash gift totaling 50 million yen (approximately US$630,000).
About Point Loma Nazarene University
Point Loma Nazarene University is a selective Christian liberal arts institution located in San Diego, California. Founded in 1902, PLNU is known not only for its 90-acre campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean but also for its well-rounded, forward-thinking graduates. In addition to more than 60 undergraduate areas of study, PLNU offers graduate program regional centers throughout Southern California. PLNU serves more than 3,500 students. The Kyoto Prize Journalism Fellowship is an equal-opportunity program awarded exclusively on the basis of merit without regard to personal or religious affiliations or attributes.
About the Inamori Foundation and the Kyoto Prize
The non-profit Inamori Foundation was established in 1984 by Dr. Kazuo Inamori, a Japanese entrepreneur and humanitarian. The Foundation created the Kyoto Prize in 1985, in line with Dr. Inamori’s belief that a human being has no higher calling than to strive for the greater good of society, and that the future of humanity can be assured only when there is a balance between our scientific progress and our spiritual depth. With the 2012 laureates, the prize has honored 90 individuals and one foundation collectively representing 15 nations. Individual laureates range from scientists, engineers and researchers to philosophers, painters, architects, sculptors, musicians and film directors. The United States has produced the most recipients (36), followed by Japan (16), the United Kingdom (12), and France (8). More information can be found at www.kyotoprize.org/en/.
