▁First ▁Camp aign ▁ ▁The ▁campaign ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁with ▁a ▁don ation ▁of ▁$ 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁by ▁Vector ▁Mag net ics , ▁Inc ., ▁an ▁I th aca ▁technology ▁firm . ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁the ▁board , ▁under ▁chair ▁Bruce ▁Thompson , ▁h ired ▁registered ▁professional ▁engineer ▁and ▁ge ologist , ▁Dr . ▁Charles ▁Tra ut mann , ▁as ▁Executive ▁Director . ▁The ▁project ▁was ▁announced ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁at ▁a ▁party ▁at ▁Rock ▁Stream ▁Studios , ▁then ▁at ▁ 2 3 5 ▁Cher ry ▁St . ▁in ▁I th aca , ▁that ▁was ▁attended ▁by ▁ 5 0 0 ▁individuals ▁and ▁highlight ed ▁by ▁present ations ▁by ▁Mayor ▁Benjamin ▁Nich ols , ▁Assembly man ▁Mart y ▁L uster , ▁State ▁Senator ▁Jim ▁S ew ard , ▁Congress man ▁Matt ▁Mc H ugh , ▁Corn ell ▁President ▁Emer it us ▁D ale ▁C ors on , ▁Nobel ▁La ure ate ▁Hans ▁Bet he , ▁and ▁Corn ell ▁astronom er ▁Carl ▁S agan . ▁Tra ut mann ▁and ▁Thompson ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁secure ▁p led ges ▁from ▁several ▁don ors ▁for ▁$ 2 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁to ▁move ▁the ▁project ▁forward . ▁Under ▁their ▁leadership , ▁the ▁Sci en center ▁board , ▁staff , ▁and ▁volunte ers ▁developed ▁ref ined ▁architect ural ▁plans , ▁form ulated ▁a ▁business ▁plan , ▁and ▁laid ▁the ▁ground work ▁for ▁a ▁$ 1 ▁million ▁fund ra ising