The Ceres Connection is a cooperative program between MIT's Lincoln Laboratory and the Society for Science and the Public dedicated for promoting science education. It names asteroids discovered through LINEAR after students and teachers who performed outstandingly in these Society for Science and the Public competitions: the Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge, the Intel Science Talent Search, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, and the Intel Excellence in Teaching Award.
Since 2002, over 200 asteroids are named each year through this program.