Research Opportunity Awards were established in 1987 and designed for mid-career or senior scientists of demonstrated productivity and creativity who were seeking to explore new areas of experimental research. Each year, the Chair of each Ph.D.-granting astronomy, physics or chemistry department in the U.S. could nominate up to two tenured faculty who were without major research funding. Applications were then invited from a selected group of those nominated.
Research Opportunity Awards were discontinued in 2008.