FUNAI Achievement Award

FUNAI Achievement Award

About the Award The Funai Achievement Award is presented at the Forum on Information Technology (FIT), an annual event organized by the Information Processing Society of Japan (IPSJ), and the Information and Systems Society (ISS) and the Human Communication Group (HCG) of the Institute of Electronics Information and Communication Engineers (IEICE) since 2002. The award is endowed by the Funai Foundation for Information Technology, which supports the objectives of FIT. The award recipient is selected by the Steering Committee of FIT, and the recipient gives a commemorative lecture at FIT.
Selection Committee A Selection Committee for the Funai Achievement Award is organized within the Steering Committee of FIT. The Selection Committee is chaired by the Chairperson of the Steering Committee.
Selection Process The Selection Committee nominates a candidate in accordance with the selection rules, and the FIT Steering Committee makes the final decision.
Selection Criteria The Funai Achievement Award is presented to a distinguished individual engaged in research or related business activities in the field of Information Technology, who
1) has produced excellent achievements in the field;
2) is still active in leading position;
3) has had a strong impact on young students and researchers;
and
4) will give a huge incentive to audiences by delivering a commemorative lecture at FIT.
The recipient must not have received the Funai Achievement Award previously.
Conferment The Funai Achievement Award, consisting of a Certificate of Merit, a supplementary prize, and a cash award of JPY1,000,000, is conferred at FIT.

  • FIT2023 22nd Forum on Informational (September 6-8 2023 Hybrid)

    Yu Kitsuregawa (President, Research Organization of Information and Systems / University Professor, The University of Tokyo)

    His pioneering work on big data science and engineering

  • FIT2022 21st Forum on Informational (September 13-15 2022 Hybrid)

    Masashi Sugiyama (Director, RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project / Professor, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo)

    His pioneering work on Machine Learning

  • FIT2021 20th Forum on Informational (August 25-27 2021 Online)

    Shree K. Nayar (T. C. Chang Chaired Professor, Computer Science, Columbia University)

    His pioneering work on Computer Vision and Computational Photography

  • FIT2020 19th Forum on Informational (September 1-3 2020 Online)

    Tomoyuki Nishita (Hiroshima shudo University / Prometec CG research)

    His pioneering work on Fundamental Algorithms and Applications of Computer Graphics

  • FIT2019 18th Forum on Informational (September 3-5 2019 Okayama University)

    Masataka Goto (Prime Senior Researcher, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST))

    His pioneering work on Music Information Processing, Music Signal Analysis, and Music Interfaces.

  • FIT2018 17th Forum on Informational (September 19-21 2018 Fukuoka Institute of Technology)

    Jiawei Han (Abel Bliss Professor, Department of Computer Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaig)

    His pioneering work on Data Mining, Information Network Analysis, Database Systems, and Data Warehousing.

  • FIT2017 16th Forum on Informational (September 12-14 2017 University of Tokyo)

    Katsushi Ikeuchi (Microsoft Research Asia)

    His pioneering work on Worldwide Research Achievement and Cultivation of Human Resources on Computer Vision.

  • FIT2016 15th Forum on Information Technology (September 7-9 2016 University of Toyama)

    Hiroyuki Itoh (Crypton Future Media, INC.)

    His pioneering work on Advanced Sound Media Contents Services. 

  • FIT2015 : 14th Forum on Information Technology (September 15-17 2015 University of Ehime)

    William James Dally (Stanford University / NVIDIA Corporation)

    His pioneering work on Advanced Parallel Computer Architectures and VLSI Processors. 

  • FIT2014 : 13rd Forum on Information Technology (September 3-5, 2014 University of Tsukuba)

    Jun'ichi TSUJII (Microsoft Research Asia)

    His pioneering work on Natural Language Processing, machine Translation and Text Mining for Biology. 

  • FIT2013 : 12nd Forum on Information Technology (September 4-6, 2013 Tottori University)

    Yukihiro MATSUMOTO (Ruby Association)

    His pioneering work on Development and Deployment of Ruby Programming Language.

  • FIT2012 : 11st Forum on Information Technology (September 4-6, 2012 Hosei University)

    Hideyuki NAKASHIMA (Future University Hakodate)

    His pioneering work on Artificial Intelligence and Ubiquitous Computing.

  • FIT2011 : 10th Forum on Information Technology (September 7-9, 2011 Hakodate University / Hakodate Junior College)

    Masato HIROSE (Honda R&D Co., Ltd.)

    His pioneering work on Humanoid Robotics And his leading role in practical implementations for daily works.

  • FIT2010 : 9th Forum on Information Technology (September 7-9, 2010 Kyushu University)

    Hiroshi ISHII (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

    His pioneering work on Tangible Bits and his leading role in user interfaces as well as groupware.

  • FIT2009 : 8th Forum on Information Technology (September 2-4, 2009 Tohoku Institute of Technology)

    Akinori YONEZAWA (University of Tokyo)

    Played a leading role in introducing a pioneering theory of parallel object oriented technology and its application in advanced information society.

  • FIT2008 : 7th Forum on Information Technology (September 2-4, 2008 Keio University)

    Mitsuo KAWATO (ATR Computational Neuroscience Research Laboratories)

    Played a leading role in achieving an engineering breakthrough in brain information processing mechanism and its application in advanced information society.

  • FIT2007 : 6th Forum on Information Technology (September 5-7, 2007 Chukyo University)

    Jun MURAI (Keio University)

    Played a leading role in building Japan’s Internet infrastructure by, among other things, establishing JUNET and WIDE Project.

  • FIT2006 : 5th Forum on Information Technology (September 5-7, 2006 Fukuoka University)

    Masatoshi SHIMA (Visual Technology)

    Contributed enormously to the development of today’s micro computer technology by, among other things, developing the world’s first microprocessor and doing pioneering research in this field.

  • FIT2005 : 4th Forum on Information Technology (September 7-9, 2005 Chuo University)

    Ken SAKAMURA (University of Tokyo)

    Leads the world in his field of expertise by developing computer architecture unique to Japan through the promotion of a TRON concept and the realization and implementation of a TRON project. In addition, Dr. Sakamura has contributed significantly to crystallizing a cyber society.

  • FIT2004 : 3rd Forum on Information Technology (September7-9, 2004 Doshisha University)

    Takeo KANADE (Carnegie Mellon University)

    Achieved pioneering results in a wide range of areas, from basic theory to applied system, in the field of computer vision and robotics. In addition, Dr. Kanada has trained many researchers now active in these fields.

  • FIT2003 : 2nd Forum on Information Technology (September 10-12, 2003 Sapporo Gakuin University)

    Marvin MINSKY (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

    Achieved pioneering results in the field of artificial intelligence. Dr. Minsky laid down the foundation for the study of common sense reasoning, proposed an innovative “frame theory,” and published The Emotion Machine and The Society of Mind, among others.

  • FIT2002 : 1st Forum on Information Technology(September 25-26, 2002 Tokyo Institute of Technology)

    Alan Kay (Viewpoint Research Institute)

    Proposed an innovative concept of personal computer; roposed and put to practical use an object oriented language; and achieved pioneering results in computer education for children.