About RISE

Early History of Rise

• 1971 The seed is planted
• 1976 An adjunct research professorship is established
  • First holder: William Moran, retired director of chemical manufacturing at CIBA
  • Five students mentored in three years
  • Program named RISE (Research Institute for Scientists Emeriti)
• 1979 The fledgling RISE program is underway
  • Program approved by Board of Trustees
  • First director: George deStevens, former executive VP and research director, Pharma Division of CIBA-Geigy (Dr. deStevens was internationally known for his discovery of the two most widely prescribed drugs for high blood pressure. He founded the institute and directed it until his death in 1995.)
  • Fundraising campaign begins

Initial Funding and Developments

• Naming grant from Charles A. Dana Foundation ($250,000)
• Pew Memorial Trust Grant ($250,000)
• Smaller grants from pharmaceutical firms
• Total pledges received by 1982: $1.25 million
• Construction of offices and laboratories begin on third floor of the Hall of Sciences
• Formal Dedication on April 23, 1986
• Full recruitment begins

Second Phase of Development

• Laboratory space constructed for biologists
• Grants totaling $250,000 received from Mellon Foundation, CIBA-Geigy, Hoechst Celanese, Merck, and Schering-Plough
• Formal Dedication of new laboratory on March 30, 1992 (Keynote address by Walter Massey, director of NSF)

RISE Directors

• George deStevens, 1979-1995
• Sidney Udenfriend, former founding director of the Roche Institute of Molecular Biology, 1997-1999
• Ashley Carter, former department head and distinguished member of technical staff, Bell Laboratories, 1999-2008
• Jon R. Kettenring, present