Originally established experimentally in the mid-1950s, formalized in 1960, and phased out in 1968, this program was reinstated in 1991. The program was motivated by a conviction that Research Corporation staff had knowledge and expertise that could be used to accelerate the evolution and advancement of carefully selected college science departments. Awards were based on a mutually agreed upon set of goals and consisted of significant financial commitments from both the institution and Research Corporation. They were discontinued, a second time, in 2008.
