An gawad iyo namokna kan Desyembre 16, 1976 ni Presidente Ferdinand Marcos sa paagi kan Presidensyal na Dekri na Nos. 1003 asin 1003-A, na iyo nagmokna man sa Nasyunal na Akademya kan Siyensya asin Teknolohiya. Para sa katuyuhan kan ley, an sarong siyentista iyo may depinisyon na (sa Ingles) “an individual who has earned a doctoral degree in any field of the sciences” and “has demonstrated and earned distinction in independent research or significant innovative achievement in the basic and applied sciences, including agricultural, engineering, and medical sciences, in mathematics and in the social sciences as manifested by published works in recognized scientific and technical journals.”  Pigsangat ini sa Orden kan mga Nasyunal na Siyentista kaidtong 2003.