And no, it’s not an actual dating site, though its mission is to bring soulmates together. 

The University of Hawaii at Manoa‘s COSEE (Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence) Island Earth this week launched the website, which aims to bridge the gap among marine science researchers, resource managers and educators. The goal is to encourage collaboration based on algorithms of professional compatibility, including through grant proposal ideas, according to a UHM press release. 

From the press release:

In Hawaii’s island community, a thorough knowledge and understanding of our aquatic resources is paramount in order to make informed decisions. It is essential that both formal educators and community organizations have access to current scientific research in Hawaii. But scientists often struggle with how to make their research available and accessible to the public, particularly as many grants for research funding encourage broader impacts through community outreach. Likewise, classroom teachers in Hawaii’s schools don’t have direct access to university-based science. On both sides of this divide, it is often a matter of who you know. seaHarmony aims to solve this problem by “introducing” the ocean science research and education communities. …

Marine scientists logging into the webpage create a profile detailing their field of research, availability and the level of commitment they’re willing to put into education activities or collaboration. Similarly, educators or resource managers also make a profile indicating their science interests, age/grade level of their audience, and what kind collaboration they might want with a scientist. Then, seaHarmony matches scientists with educators and managers that have similar interests in topics and levels of participation, facilitating interactions with a built-in messaging system. In addition, the “Opportunities” page lists several open opportunities for scientists and educators to get involved in currently on-going projects. The seaHarmony site also features “Inspirational Stories” of past scientific/community collaborations to help spark ideas for future collaborations.

Go to www.seaharmony.info to get started and meet your match.

Courtesy of seaHarmony.info

— Alia Wong