Ne of the most fruitful of the cooperative ventures was with professor Selman A. Waksman in the discovery and development of streptomycin, for which Dr. Waksman won a Nobel Prize. Today, cooperation between businesses and universities is so widespread that it prompts very little discussion and even less controversy. Not so in the 1930s. Then, most of the academic professions were unwilling to endanger their autonomy by working with the government, let alone business. This collaboration was successful because of then Chairman George W. Merck's determination that Merck needed expert and productive partners to help the Company deliver innovative medicines to those who need them. His legacy continues to this day.