KYOTO -- Two Americans, a material scientist and an oceanographer, and a French choreographer were awarded the 1999 Kyoto Prize during a special ceremony Wednesday at the Kyoto International Conference Hall for their contributions to the scientific, cultural and spiritual development of mankind.
Sponsored by the Inamori Foundation, the annual Kyoto Prize is awarded to select candidates in three fields: Advanced Technology, Basic Sciences, and Creative Arts and Moral Sciences.
David Kingery, 73, regent professor at the University of Arizona, who laid the foundation for the progress seen in ceramic materials during the latter half of the 20th century by making chemical and physical ceramic approaches into the "physical ceramic" scientific discipline, was this year's advanced technology winner.
The basic sciences prize went to Walter H. Munk, 82, an oceanographer and professor of geophysics at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California. He established the framework for the contemporary theory of wind-driven ocean movements.
Maurice Bejart, 72, a French choreographer who elevated ballet to the level of an art form that can express thought, was the recipient of the creative arts and moral sciences prize.
Each winner received a gold medal and 50 million yen in prize money.
The Kyoto Prize has been awarded every year since 1985 by the Inamori Foundation to people who have made significant contributions to scientific progress and human betterment.
The foundation was established in April 1984 with a 20 billion yen grant by Kazuo Inamori, founder and honorary chairman of Kyocera Corp.