Eyes on the Prize

THE NOBEL PRIZE IS A HOUSEHOLD TERM. But mention Japan’s Kyoto Prize, considered second only to the Nobel, and most people shrug their shoulders. Even lesser known is the annual Kyoto Laureate Symposium, now going on its fifth year in San Diego. This year’s three-day event kicks off on April 18.

Each year, the symposium features presentations by the three Kyoto laureates awarded prizes by the sponsoring Inamori Foundation the previous November. It’s the only event related to the Kyoto Prize held outside of Japan, and it leads off with a gala opening ceremony where the laureates and six scholarship winners are introduced. A lecture is held at each of the three co-host schools: University of San Diego; University of California, San Diego; and San Diego State University.

How much longer the prestigious gathering will remain in San Diego has come into question, prompting a growing cadre of community and business leaders to embrace the event. The symposium’s supporters, led by businessman and philanthropist Malin Burnham, acknowledge it doesn’t have the economic impact of a Super Bowl, an America’s Cup or a national political convention. But it shines the international spotlight on San Diego, bringing prestige to the region and enhancing the city’s image in the eyes of both the academic and business worlds.

“Two of the three disciplines in the Kyoto Prize relate directly to some of our strongest business components—high technology and biomedical research,” says Burnham, chairman of the symposium’s board of directors. “Our objective is to make this a permanent event in San Diego, and I think we’re getting there.”

Although the symposium is rooted in academia, the business community has embraced it because it offers long-term financial benefits on several fronts, says Jessie Knight, president and chief executive officer of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. “It’s an icon that represents the entrepreneurial spirit that characterizes San Diego,” he says.

It also helps young companies obtain financing by framing a story for Wall Street, and, Knight adds, it stands as a symbol for recruiting key talent—scientists, engineers and the like. “One of the things that separates San Diego from the rest of the country is that we are a business community that has spawned a sense of innovation and creativity around high-knowledge jobs and high-knowledge industries,” he says.

BUT KEEPING THE SYMPOSIUM HERE is not a done deal. There are at least two other U.S. locations that want to host it—Case Western University in Cleveland and Alfred University in upstate New York—and each has an existing relationship with the Inamori Foundation.

An event like this doesn’t land in your lap every day, says Tom Fat, owner of the Fat City dining complex, former chairman of the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau and cochair with Burnham of the gala fund-raiser, held at the San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina.

“It’s not just another social event; it’s an intellectual event of international stature, and to be a part of the Kyoto Prize adds depth to San Diego beyond promoting the sun and the beaches,” Fat says. “We need to work to keep it here.”

The symposium originated with Dr. Alice Hayes, former president of USD, after she attended a Kyoto Prize ceremony in 2001. Dr. Kazuo Inamori, who founded the Kyoto Prize to recognize and promote contributions to the good of mankind, sanctioned the event. Since then, the annual prize winners—recognized for lifetime achievements in three categories: basic sciences, advanced technology, and arts and philosophy—have been slated to appear at the symposium and participate in panel discussions within their respective disciplines.

The 2005 prize winners are Dr. George H. Heilmeier (advanced technology), chairman emeritus of Telcordia Technologies, whose pioneering contributions led to the development of flat-panel liquid crystal displays; Princeton University Professor Simon Asher Levin (basic sciences), who established the field of spatial ecology; and Austria’s Nikolaus Harnoncourt (arts and philosophy), a symphony conductor and cellist noted for challenging traditional interpretations of Bach’s cantatas. They will lecture at SDSU, UCSD and USD, respectively. The public is invited to attend the lectures free of charge. For more information, visit the symposium Web site (kyotoprize.org/symposium.htm.)

A number of Kyoto Prize recipients were later awarded Nobel Prizes, and among the nearly 70 Kyoto winners are many Americans, including Dr. Walter H. Munk of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Dr. Kurt Wüthrich of the Scripps Research Institute and Dr. Sydney Brenner of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

The choice of San Diego for the annual Kyoto symposium was logical, since Inamori is also the founder of electronics giant Kyocera Corporation, which has its North American headquarters here. Still, Inamori prefers to keep his philanthropic activities at arm’s length from his business dealings, so there’s no guarantee the symposium will remain here.

BECAUSE THE EVENT initially did not garner the recognition it deserved, Fat says, San Diego has run the risk of losing it. That’s why he recruited Burnham.

“Once I recognized how important this was, I said, ‘Let me help you,’ ” Burnham says. He recommended the involvement of SDSU and UCSD, as well as awarding six $10,000 scholarships for high school seniors. Three of the scholarships go to San Diego–area students, and three go to students from Tijuana.

The event has grown during the past three years as a direct result of Burnham’s involvement, Fat says, noting Burnham’s long-term goal is the creation of an Inamori Institute in San Diego to further basic scientific research and humanitarian efforts.

The current contract with the Inamori Foundation extends through 2007. After that, it’s up for grabs, unless San Diego continues to impress the foundation.

“We want to keep the Kyoto symposium here permanently, but we must demonstrate to Dr. Inamori that it is a successful event,” Burnham says.

To aid that effort, Knight has rallied dozens of business leaders to support the symposium, which currently has a budget of $400,000, including the $60,000 in scholarship funds. The top corporate sponsors include Qualcomm, Kyocera and Union Bank.

“There are a lot of people ready to throw money at this and try to get it,” Knight says. “We have it, so we don’t want to lose it. We need to take it to the next level.”

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