Hitoshi Murayama Director of the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe
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Message Addresses given at the Kavli IPMU Naming Ceremony Hitoshi Murayama Director of the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe Ladies and Gentlemen, family. us what we should work on, whom This is a great day. Thank you so When Fred, Bob, I met Prime to hire, what to spend the money on. much for coming to this ceremony Minister of Japan, Mr. Yoshihiko Noda I nd his generosity simply amazing. today to celebrate naming of yesterday, he made a beautiful remark Fred, you are such a wonderful man. I the Institute for the Physics and to Fred“. Basic science is an important feel already that I’ve known you for a Mathematics of the Universe, IPMU, and common resource for all of very long time. after Mr. Fred Kavli and his Kavli humanity and we really admire what Needless to say, Fred and Bob Foundation. I thank many who helped you are doing in terms of supporting would never have chosen us to make this day a reality. And of course basic science and the needs of support unless we produce cutting- my deepest gratitude goes to Fred science.” And he added“ We are edge research. I thank every member and President Bob Conn. also honored that you have chosen of Kavli IPMU for your excellent work. When we inaugurated this building Japan and the University of Tokyo And we can do even better! right here, I said“ Dreams do not to be supported by The Foundation. Thanks to this gift, a strong come true very often. Today, some We at the government truly believe commitment from President Hamada, dreams did come true.” It is amazing that we need to attract global talent and vigorous support from the MEXT, that only two years later, another to Japan to foster science in Japan. I believe we are making a big stride dream has come true. We joined the The fact that the IPMU has received towards becoming a permanent renowned Kavli family of institutes global attention and your interest and institute. around the world, with a signicant investment is a wonderful thing.” Finally, I would like to add my big donation that created an endowment Then Minister Hirofumi Hirano thanks to our staffs who worked to help secure our future. This is added“, the fact that you have around the clock behind the scenes to actually a dream many of us had even actually chosen one of the six WPI make this event happen so smoothly. before the IPMU existed, to establish centers to become a Kavli institute is We are all one team, aiming at the a Kavli institute at the University of a very good sign that we have made goal to become a truly world-leading Tokyo here in Japan. It is my special the right choices.” international center of research pleasure to have directors from Kavli But what impressed me the most at attacking the most basic questions institutes at Cambridge, Chinese the meeting is a truly pure motivation about the Universe. Academy, Peking, Stanford with us of Fred in supporting basic science Thank you, Fred, Bob, and all of you today, to welcome us to the Kavli using his own resources. He never tells here today. 6 Kavli IPMU News No. 18 June 2012 Junichi Hamada President of the University of Tokyo Ladies and Gentlemen, of Internationalization,” and IPMU is University. I am boosting our effort This is a wonderful day to name a poster child of my vision. It is the to build up endowment, to create a IPMU after Mr. Fred Kavli and his rst truly international center within stronger foundation for the secure Foundation, honoring his very the University of Tokyo. It produces future of the Kavli IPMU and the generous gift to the University rst-rate science on the most basic University as a whole. This gift is a establishing an endowment for the questions of humanity about the model for the future of the University, Kavli IPMU. I’d like to express my Universe we live in. Kavli IPMU is and I will work with the government deepest gratitude to Mr. Kavli for extremely visible both domestically to make this kind of arrangements his incredible support to IPMU and and internationally. It shares its easier. the University of Tokyo. I’ve been scientic fruit with the general Lastly but not the least, I’d like to greatly impressed by his very pure, public very well, and is creating a congratulate Prof. Hitoshi Murayama seless, and sincere motivation in his very positive and forward-looking for his strong leadership and receiving philanthropic support of basic science perception of the University. This this amazing gift. to advance human knowledge. gift from Mr. Kavli is a wonderful Thank you to you all. I’d also like to thank distinguished concrete evidence of its international guests from other Kavli institutes recognition. around the world to share Using this occasion let me reiterate the excitement and joy of this my commitment to support the Kavli development. I’m happy to see that IPMU. In fact, I have created a new IPMU has joined such a powerful framework called Todai Institutes family of excellent research centers. for Advanced Study, or TODIAS, to Message It is also an honor to the University sustain Kavli IPMU as a permanent to be listed together with such entity of the University. It was the prestigious universities that host Kavli rst major structural reform of the institutes. University since 1948. In addition, I’m I regard Kavli IPMU as a treasure in the process of creating a sizable of the University. My vision for the number of permanent positions University highlights“ The Publicness for the Kavli IPMU, working with of Knowledge and the Importance the Ministry as well as within the 7 Fred Kavli Founder and Chairman of The Kavli Foundation Good morning. still pondering. an international reputation of President Hamada, excellencies, The universe so big beyond excellence ̶ probing the deepest ladies and gentlemen, imagination yet composed of particles secrets of the universe in humanity’s It’s a great honor and special so small ̶ beyond comprehension quest for greater knowledge and pleasure to be back here in Japan, ̶ and those little creatures that have understanding. such a strong and trusted friend and taken command of the planet Earth The Kavli Foundation is dedicated ally of the United States, and a partner ̶ not because of their strength, to advancing science, promoting in our mission to gain knowledge and not because of their longevity, but public understanding of science and understanding of the universe, nature because of their brain. the role of scientic research, and and the human being. It has been a long road from the supporting scientists and their work. I grew up on the other side of white mountaintops of Norway. After This is accomplished through our the planet Earth in a green valley studying physics at the Norwegian institutes and a network of activities in western Norway, anked by Technical University, I came to that collectively we call our Kavli tall mountains ̶ where I would America and settled down in southern family. experience the power and beauty of California where I had a long journey The Kavli family now is composed of: nature as thunder and lightning would through the business world. • Sixteen institutes worldwide; shake the valley from mountainside to My interests are now back full • Kavli prizes for Astroscience, mountainside. circle to where I started ̶ to the Nanoscience, and Neuroscience, And at times the whole sky was Universe ̶ from the smallest sponsored in partnership with aame with the northern lights building blocks to the vastness and Norway; shifting and dancing across the sky, incredible wonders of space and to • Kavli Endowed Professorships; down to the white clad mountaintops. the emerging master of nature, the • Kavli Frontiers of Science, a In the stillness and loneliness of the human brain. program of the U.S. National white mountains, I would so clearly It’s a special pleasure to welcome Academy of Science; see the Milky Way and the stars and the IPMU into the Kavli international • Kavli Futures Symposia; the immenseness of the universe ̶ family in support of science for the • Science journalist workshops and so big beyond imagination. benet of humanity. awards; I pondered the universe, the planet, The IPMU is a proud example of • The Kavli Royal Society nature and the wonders of man. I’m the best of science, having acquired International Center in the U.K., 8 Kavli IPMU News No. 18 June 2012 and other activities. in its long-range benet to humanity. through cooperation across national The Kavli IPMU is joining 15 other Science helps us lead healthier lives. borders worldwide. Kavli Institutes. In Physics and Practically everything we touch in Thank you. Astrophysics, the Institutes are at: our daily lives has been improved or • The University of California at developed through basic research. Santa Barbara; The progress of our entire standard • Stanford University; of living is tied closely to the fruits of • The University of Chicago; science and research. • The Massachusetts Institute of We owe our comfort, health and Technology; longevity as we know it today to • Peking University; science and technology. One hundred • The Chinese Academy of years ago our life expectancy was 47 Sciences; and years. We had no cure for tuberculosis • The University of Cambridge. or polio. We had no antibiotics and so In Nanoscience, the Institutes are at: many diseases were deadly. • The California Institute of We travelled by foot or horse and Technology; communicated by letters which took • Cornell University; months to reach us.