In 1981, Rutherford became the executive director of the Education Division at the AAAS, and in 1985, he began work on Project 2061, which coincided with the arrival of Comet Halley to help the schools to foster science literacy among all Americans. Named after the next year of the comet Halley's return, Project 2061's title embodies the symbolism of the long term nature of this reforming effort, ingraining in the populace the patience and persistence that would be necessary to sustain the project over the long haul.