In 2011, the Japan Prize was awarded in the field of Information and Communications to Dr. Dennis M. Ritchie and Dr. Ken L. Thompson for the development of the UNIX operating system and in the field of Bioscience and Medical Science to Dr. Tadamitsu Kishimoto and Dr. Toshio Hirano for their discovery of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and its application in treating diseases.
Achievement:
Development of the operating system, UNIX (Joint Award)
Distinguished Member of Technical Staff Emeritus, Bell Labs
Distinguished Engineer at Google Inc.
Achievement:
Discovery of interleukin-6 and its application in treating diseases (Joint Award)
Professor Emeritus at Osaka University.
Dean of the Graduate School of Medicine at Osaka University.
Press Conference, announcing the 2011 (27th) Japan Prize Laureates
In light of the aftermath of Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, The Japan Prize Foundation decided to call off the Japan Prize Presentation Ceremony, the Banquet and all the related events. Despite the cancellation, The Japan Prize Foundation, with the help of related parties, presented the certificates of merit and the prize medals to the laureates in person, in separate ceremonies held in the U.S. and Japan.
Dr. Ritchie
Dr. Thompson
Dr. Kishimoto
Dr. Hirano
- President, Dr. Masao Ito and Mrs. Ito
- Chairman, Prof. Hiroyuki Yoshikawa and Mrs. Yoshikawa
President Ito and Dr. Kishimoto (right)
Chairman Yoshikawa and Dr. Hirano (right)
Dr. Hirano and Dr. Kishimoto (right)
Back row from right to left: President Ito and his wife, Chairman Yoshikawa and his wife Front row from right to left: Dr.Kishimoto and his wife, Dr.Hirano and his wife
Key figures on hand
Google Inc:
Vice President, Dr. Vinton Cerf (2008 Japan Prize Laureate)
Senior Vice President, Dr. Bill Coughran
Consulate-General of Japan in San Francisco:
Deputy Consul General, Mr. Michio Harada
The Japan Prize Foundation:
Chairman, Prof.Hiroyuki Yoshikawa and Mrs. Yoshikawa
Senior Executive Director, Mr. Ken Shimba
From left to right: Mr. Harada, Dr. Cerf, Dr. Coughran, Mrs. Thompson, Dr. Thompson, Mrs. Yoshikawa, Prof. Yoshikawa
Dr. Thompson and Chairman Yoshikawa
Mr. Steve Wozniak (left) guides the guests at the Computer History Museum
Dr. Cerf (left), Mr. Larry Page, CEO of Google Inc (center), Chairman Yoshikawa (right)
Key figures on hand:
Bell Labs:
President, Dr. Jeong Kim
Consulate-General of Japan in New York:
Consul General, Ambassador Shigeyuki Hiroki
The Japan Prize Foundation:
Chairman, Prof. Hiroyuki Yoshikawa and Mrs. Yoshikawa
Senior Executive Director, Mr. Ken Shimba
From left to right: Chairman and Mrs. Yoshikawa, Dr. Ritchie, President Kim
Dr. Ritchie and Chairman Yoshikawa
Dr. Ritchie (second from right) with colleagues and Bell Labs alumni, Dr. Aho (left), Dr. Kernighan (second from left) and Dr. McIlroy (far right)
Dr. Ritchie at an interview
