Any individual may nominate a single eligible chemist in one year. Nominees must be a female citizen of the United States. The award was established by
Francis Garvan and Mabel Brady Garvan in 1936 in honor of their daughter. It was initially an essay contest, that ran for seven years, as a memorial to their daughter (the American Chemical Society's Prize Essay Contest). It was solely funded by the Francis P. Garvan Medal Endowment from its establishment in 1936 until 1979. W. R. Grace & Co. assumed co-sponsorship of the award from 1979 to 1983. In 1984, Olin Corporation assumed co-sponsorship. Mabel Brady Garvan remained involved with the Award through 1967. The Garvan–Olin Award is the ACS' third-oldest award, and the first
award established to honor women chemists. ==Award recipients==