NEC C&C Foundation Awards 2020 C&C Prize

- Recognition of outstanding contributions to building & developing the Internet in Japan and making RDBMS practical -

TOKYO, Oct 13, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - The NEC C&C Foundation today announced that the 2020 C&C Prize will be awarded to two groups for their contributions to leading many collaborators in the construction and dissemination of the Internet in Japan and the promotion of its stable operation, the cultivation of human resources, and the generation of Internet culture, and to database technology by devising numerous Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS) concepts, demonstrating them, and making them practical. Prof. Jun Murai will represent Group A and Dr. Michael Stonebraker will represent Group B. Each recipient will be recognized with a certificate of merit and a plaque. Each group will also receive a cash award of ten million yen.

The C&C Prize was established in 1985 and is awarded to distinguished persons in recognition of outstanding contributions to R&D activities and pioneering work related to the integration of computers and communications technologies and the social impact of developments in these fields. This year's two recipient groups are outlined below.

The prize ceremony and acceptance speeches will be held on Monday, November 30 from 16:00 at the ANA InterContinental Tokyo which will be streamed live to those who apply at the Foundation's website.

1) 2020 C&C Prize Recipients

Group A

Prof. Jun Murai
Distinguished Professor, Keio University

Citation
For Pioneering Contributions to Society in Building and Developing the Internet in Japan

Achievement
Not a day goes by that we do not use the Internet, whether it is accessing social media and doing online shopping or looking up information online. Nowadays, we are connected to others all around the world through the Internet and enjoy a convenient and enriched life using all kinds of services made possible by the Internet.

Now, with the sudden emergence of COVID-19 and the subsequent limitations on movement and travel it entails, we are adapting by using the Internet to work from home, conduct online meetings, and remotely participate in classes. The Internet has become an indispensable social infrastructure in modern-day society, functioning as a basic framework that allows anyone the freedom to tackle emerging issues and take part in the creation of something new, without the costs and time required with traditional methods.

Since the early days of the Internet, Professor Murai has led many collaborators in the construction and dissemination of the Internet and the promotion of its stable operation, the cultivation of human resources, and the generation of Internet culture. Because Professor Jun Murai has made achievements such as these that are extremely significant to our world today, we believe he is a worthy recipient for the C&C Prize.

Group B

Dr. Michael Stonebraker
Computer Science Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Citation
For Pioneering Contributions to Relational Database Systems

Achievement
We make use of a variety of different databases on a day-to-day basis. For example, when shopping online, enter your zip code on the shipping form may automatically input the name of the city in which you live. This feature is possible because the form is linked to an address book database. Database systems are also used on websites when you book a flight or look up books on an online library catalog. Companies use computers to manage large amounts of data generated through business activities such as purchasing, production, inventory, sales, employee management, and accounting. This data is managed with a database system to help improve business efficiency. In recent years, efforts have been made to take advantage of this data to resolve societal issues and create new value. For example, large amounts of data can be analyzed to discover patterns, gain new insights about the data, and implement machine learning so that predictive models can be built to make predictions regarding the future. As the value of data increases, database systems are becoming more and more essential in the efficient management and usage of large amounts of data of all kinds.

Dr. Stonebraker made tremendous contributions in the early days of database technology by devising numerous RDBMS concepts, demonstrating them, and making them practical, thus laying the foundation for the modern field of database systems. Because Dr. Michael Stonebraker has made so many boundary-transcending achievements in both business and academia, we believe he is a recipient worthy of the C&C Prize.

For additional information, please visit The NEC C&C Foundation website at: https://www.candc.or.jp/en/index.html

About The NEC C&C Foundation

The NEC C&C Foundation is a non-profit organization established in March 1985 to foster further growth in the electronics industry by encouraging and supporting research and development activities and pioneering work related to the integration of computers and communications technologies, that is, C&C, and ultimately to contribute to the world economy and the enrichment of human life. The Foundation is funded by NEC Corporation.

The Foundation currently has two main activities. It presents the annual C&C Prizes to recognize outstanding contributions to R&D activities and pioneering work in the area of C&C. Candidates are recommended from all over the world. Each prize winner receives a certificate, a plaque, and a cash award (ten million yen per group). As of 2019, 115 prominent persons had received the prize. In addition, an Outstanding Paper Award for Young C&C Researchers is awarded annually to outstanding paper(s) presented at an international conference overseas with the support of a grant from the Foundation. Each recipient is given a cash award of 200,000 yen.

The Foundation also gives the following two grants: (1) grant to enable researchers in Japan to attend international conferences overseas to make presentations in the field of C&C and (2) grant to non-Japanese researchers in Japan.

For additional information, please visit The NEC C&C Foundation website at https://www.candc.or.jp/en/index.html

About NEC Corporation

NEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of "Orchestrating a brighter world." NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness, and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at https://www.nec.com.

Source: NEC Corporation

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