Sara Wilensky
The San Diego Foundation
(619) 235-2300 ext. 338
sara@sdfoundation.org

March 07, 2007 – The Kyoto Symposium Organization and The San Diego Foundation, in collaboration with Japan’s Inamori Foundation, today announced the six recipients of the 2007-2008 Kyoto Scholarships. Named in honor of the Kyoto Prize, Japan’s highest private award for lifetime achievement, the $10,000 scholarships recognize high school seniors from San Diego County and the greater Tijuana region.

A central component of the scholarship application process is an essay requirement that allows students to write about how they have been inspired by their study of a Kyoto Prize laureate.

Receiving scholarships in the "Advanced Technology" category are Taylor Yi, a senior at Westview High School in San Diego; and Anette López-Solorio, a senior at Instituto Cuauhtlatohuac in Tijuana. Their essays focused on 2006 Kyoto Prize laureate Dr. Leonard A. Herzenberg, who developed the Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorter – a scientific instrument that has opened new frontiers in regenerative medicine by allowing researchers to sort viable cells by their specific properties.

Receiving the scholarships in the “Basic Sciences” category are George Jiang, a senior at Scripps Ranch High School in San Diego; and Mario Rosas-Fregozo, a senior at CBTIS 155 in Tijuana. Both wrote about 2006 Kyoto Prize laureate Dr. Hirotugu Akaike, a mathematician who made a milestone contribution to statistical science by developing the “Akaike Information Criterion” – a simple, reliable solution to the problem of selecting statistical models that has been adopted in virtually every field of science and engineering since the 1970s.

Receiving the scholarships in the “Arts and Philosophy” category are Sarah Silverstein, a senior at Patrick Henry High School in San Diego; and Abril Insunza-Gribel, a senior at CETYS Universidad in Tijuana. Their essays focused on 2006 Kyoto Prize laureate Issey Miyake, a designer whose innovative clothing ensembles overturn preconception and transcend the boundaries of time, place and class.

“The Kyoto Scholarships allow students to dream big – and not just for themselves, but for society as a whole,” said Bob Kelly, president of The San Diego Foundation, which administers the scholarship fund. “The recipients have drawn inspiration from the Kyoto Prize laureates in hoping to make our world a better place. We consider that consistent with the mission of the Kyoto Prize, which is given to individuals who use their work to better humanity.”

Kyoto Scholarship recipients will be recognized at the gala, “The Kyoto Prize: Celebrating Outstanding Human Achievement,” on March 14, which also serves as the opening ceremony for San Diego’s 2007 Kyoto Laureate Symposium. Dr. Irwin Jacobs, chairman of QUALCOMM Inc., serves as honorary chair of the gala, with three co-chairs – Malin Burnham, chairman of both the Burnham Companies and San Diego’s Kyoto Symposium Organization; Tom Fat, president of Fat City, Inc.; and Arturo Rivera, vice president and corporate affairs manager of Washington Mutual.

“These Kyoto Scholarships create stronger relationships and understanding between the U.S., Japan and Mexico,” Burnham stated. “By rallying our community around this worthy cause, I believe the Kyoto Laureate Symposium will become an enduring legacy for our region at large.”

In keeping with the philosophy of the Kyoto Prize, the Kyoto Scholarships encourage students to seek the greater good of society in their studies and work. Although the essays were a primary component of the scholarship judging, students were also evaluated on academic merit, community service and recommendation.

The Kyoto Prize
The Kyoto Prize, entering its 23rd year in 2007, is awarded by the non-profit Inamori Foundation of Kyoto, Japan. It consists of academic honors, a gold medal and a cash award of 50 million yen (approximately $425,000), presented to individuals and groups worldwide who have made significant contributions to the betterment of humanity. The prize is awarded each November 10 in Kyoto before representatives of Japan’s Imperial Family and an audience of about 1,500 global dignitaries.

The Kyoto Laureate Symposium
San Diego’s Kyoto Laureate Symposium is a three-day celebration of the lives and works of those receiving the Kyoto Prize, co-hosted by SDSU, UCSD and USD. Major events include the gala and opening ceremony, March 14, 5:30 p.m. at the San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina; and presentations by the 2006 Kyoto Prize laureates – Advanced Technology, March 15, 9:30-11:00 a.m. at SDSU’s Montezuma Hall; Basic Sciences, March 15, 4:00-5:30 p.m. at UCSD’s Calit2; and Arts and Philosophy, Friday, March 16, 3:30-5:30 p.m. at USD’s Shiley Theatre. This year, for the first time, members of the general public are invited to experience the Kyoto Prize Ceremony in San Diego through a special screening in super high-definition digital cinema, March 15, 2:30-3:30 p.m. at UCSD’s Calit2 auditorium. No admission fee will be charged at any of the events but the gala. A complete schedule of events and registration form are available at www.kyotoprize.org.

The Inamori Foundation
The non-profit Inamori Foundation was established in Kyoto, Japan in 1984 by Dr. Kazuo Inamori, founder of Japan’s Kyocera Corporation and KDDI Corporation. The Foundation’s Kyoto Prize reflects Dr. Inamori's belief that human beings have no higher calling than to strive for the greater good of humankind and all the world – and that society’s future can be assured only when there is a balance between scientific development and the enrichment of the human spirit. The Kyoto Prize is presented in appreciation not only of outstanding human achievements but also of the spirit that motivated each laureate's contributions to society.

About The San Diego Foundation
Founded in 1975, The San Diego Foundation is a broad-purpose community foundation helping individuals, families and organizations carry out their charitable plans, with the common goals of improving the quality of life in the greater San Diego region, now and for generations to come.