From time to time the Foundation will initiate major grants for potentially significant endeavors that we believe will ultimately benefit humankind. Our Special Projects include: W.M. Keck Observatory www.keckobservatory.org Home to the world's largest optical telescopes, the Keck Observatory is situated near the summit of Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaii and is a joint project of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the University of California. Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences www.kgi.edu As part of the Claremont College Consortium, located at Claremont, CA, this is the first graduate school in the United States solely dedicated to equipping a new generation of bioscientists and bioengineers with leading-edge knowledge and a practical orientation. USC Keck School of Medicine www.usc.edu/keck USC is one of the nation's leading private research universities. This grant will strengthen and expand the programs at the Keck School of Medicine and, in particular, support the growth of its research in neurodegenerative diseases. National Academies - Keck Futures Initiative www.keckfutures.org Initiated in 2003, this 15-year program was designed to stimulate interdisciplinary scientific and technological research that bridges disciplines, cultures, institutions and methodologies. Other recent Special Projects include continued underwriting of Sesame Street broadcasts by KCET-Community Television of Southern California (these broadcasts have been supported by the Foundation since the 1970s).