Professor Richard Karp Receives Kyoto Prize

March 20, 2009
Professor Richard M. Karp, head of ICSI's Algorithms Group, will be presented with the 2008 Kyoto Prize in Advanced Technology at the Kyoto Prize Symposium taking place in San Diego, California from March 18-20.

The Kyoto Prize is given annually by the Inamori Foundation, and is widely recognized as Japan's equivalent to the Nobel Prize. It is given to three people annually - in addition to the Advanced Technology category, prizes are awarded in Basic Sciences and Arts and Philosophy.

Karp's work on Computational Complexity Theory as well as his algorithms designed to solve specific problems in areas including genetics have greatly influenced the entire field of computer technology. He will give a talk on "The Mysteries of Algorithms" on the 19th at San Diego State University at 9:30 a.m. Dr. Andrew Viterbi, Professor Emeritus of the University of California at San Diego and President of the Viterbi Group, a technical advisory and investment company, will follow with a speech outlining Karp's major achievements.

Professor Karp has conducted algorithms research at ICSI (the International Computer Science Institute) since the 1980's. He is also on the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science faculty at University of California, Berkeley.

Also being honored at the Symposium for the 2008 Kyoto Prize are Dr. Anthony James Pawson of Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital and the University of Toronto (Basic Sciences) and Dr. Charles Margrave Taylor of McGill University in Montreal (Arts and Philosophy).