SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) is now accepting applications for the 2013 Kyoto Prize Fall 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 Kyoto, Japan in November 2013 where he or she will attend the annual Kyoto Prize Award Ceremony, lectures and workshops November 10-12.
During the program, the journalist will have opportunities to meet and interview the 2013 laureates of the Kyoto Prize, Japan’s highest private award for lifetime achievement. The fellowship experience is intended to enhance the journalist’s ability to report on fields influenced by the latest laureates, to gain an historical context of the laureates’ contributions and to better understand the global impact of continued innovation in each field.
The application deadline is Thursday, September 5, 2013. The 2013 Kyoto Prize Laureates are:
Advanced Technology (Field: Electronics)
IBM
Fellow Dr. Robert Heath Dennard, 80, invented the basic structure
of Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), which is now extensively
utilized as one of the integrated circuit (IC) memory systems. His
innovation has immensely increased the capacity of digital information
storage, leading to dramatic progress in information and
telecommunications technology. Dr. Dennard and his colleagues also
proposed guidelines, called “scaling theory”, to miniaturize
field-effect transistors (FET), which play key roles in most ICs,
including DRAMs, thereby promoting unprecedented advances in IC
technology.
Basic Sciences (Field: Biological Sciences)
Pennsylvania
State University Evolutionary Biologist Dr. Masatoshi Nei, 82,
made it possible to discuss evolutionary divergence, genetic diversity,
and the mode of selection on genes in a quantitative manner by devising
diverse statistical methods such as Nei’s genetic distance, and applying
them to molecular data. Using these methods, Dr. Nei’s research has
yielded important contributions to molecular evolutionary biology, as
well as many other academic disciplines including ecology and
conservation biology, while facilitating a better understanding of the
evolutionary mechanism of genes, such as positive selection.
Arts and Philosophy (Field: Music)
Music
visionary Cecil Taylor, 84, is one of the most original pianists
in the history of jazz. He developed his innovative style of
improvisation by departing from conventional idioms through distinctive
musical constructions and percussive renditions, thereby opening new
possibilities in jazz. His unsurpassed virtuosity and strong will inject
an intense, vital force into his music, which has exerted a profound
influence on a broad range of musical genres.
“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. A selection committee comprised of professional journalists and journalism professors will announce the 2013 Fall Fellow on September 12, 2013. 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 laureate is presented with a diploma, a 20-karat-gold Kyoto Prize medal, and prize money of 50 million yen (approximately US$500,000-$630,000) per category.
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, founder and chairman emeritus of Kyocera Corporation, founder
and honorary adviser to KDDI Corporation, and chairman emeritus of Japan
Airlines. 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 2013 laureates, the prize has
honored 93 individuals and one foundation — collectively representing 16
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
(39), followed by Japan (16), the United Kingdom (12), and France (8).
More information can be found at www.kyotoprize.org/en/.
