Originally published 20 May 1991
The heart of a scientist is as easily warmed and as easily broken as anyone else’s, and that’s probably why the search for love finally is making its way into journals with names like Technology Review and Science.
An ad in the May-June [1991] issue of MIT’s Technology Review invites readers to join the Science Connection, Inc., a singles network specifically for science professionals or anyone else interested in science or nature. If you are a scientist or natural history buff, SCI, for an annual fee, will supply you with brief profiles of singles with similar interests.
Clearly, this is an idea whose time has come, and soon we can expect to see personal ads at the back of such journals as Science, Nature, American Psychologist, even the Proceedings of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers.
In fact, the idea seems so timely that I decided to throw this column open to personal ads from scientists and other technical professionals looking for a partner. Herewith, the first batch of adverts from the white-coated lovelorn:
Fabulously attractive SWF ornithologist, PhD, with life list of 457 species, seeks SWM who knows where to find the black-bellied tree duck. Willing to relocate.
Professional psychologist, DWM, 48, drives red Porsche, secure, no emotional baggage, enjoys sports, dining out, fine wines, jazz, Red Sox, seeks slim (under 113 pounds) but full busted 5 foot 7 inch, raven-haired (shoulder length), blue-eyed knockout with PhD in psychology, 27 – 30 years old, for mature relationship. No cats.
Laser lady of color, forty-something, with 50 megawatt free electron laser, seeks nuclear physicist, non-smoker, darkly handsome, for fusion experiments. You bring the wine. I’ll bring wit, passion and generous DOE and NASA funding.
Attractive 37-year-old chemist with speciality in the metal (II) derivatives of 3,5‑di-tert-butyl‑1,2‑o-benzoquinone seeks lady chemist with similar interests. It would be helpful if you also have freckles, red hair, and a big smile.
High-energy particle physicist, DWF, 45, Nobel Prize contender, on design team for superconducting supercollider but tired of fast track, seeks laid back younger man with interest in entomology, mycology, or other woodsy pursuits. Let’s make sparks, not quarks.
Bearded PhD anthropologist, 65, professor at prestigious university and prolific field worker with experience in ancient Near Eastern civilizations, would like to meet woman with BS or MS in anthropology or related field for personal and professional collaboration. Must be able to handle shovel and cook.
Out-of-this-world, DWF astronomer, stellar personality, supernova smile, light years ahead of the competition, looking for a down-to-earth engineer with his feet on the ground for afternoon trysts — and maybe more.
Seven successful microbiologists, SWM, ages 34 – 46, most recent paper “Inhibition of GTPase Activating Protein Stimulation of Xenopus Oocytes Expressing the trk Proto-Oncogene Product”, seek seven gorgeous blonde lab assistants, ages 18 – 29, for lab lunches, flask washing, and possible long-term relationships. Photos appreciated.
I felt the earth move. Tenure track, hard rock geologist, M, 29+, list of refereed publications as long as your arm, seeks sensual older (fortyish) soft rock geologist with established credentials who can generate seismic waves. Send photo and resume.
Dream man. If you are a SJF biology professional who wouldn’t mind finding an occasional cell culture in the fridge next to the OJ, this twice-divorced embryologist, 34, with warm personality and movie-star good looks is looking for you.
Pretty, honey-blonde SWF biochemist, with knockout figure, a passionate nature, and a flair for fun seeks sexy scientist, any field. Please, don’t disappoint me again.
Computer software expert, DJM, 37, seeks sensible, intelligent, unsentimental woman for late-night programming and — gosh, who knows what else? Must be IBM compatible. No Macintosh persons, please!
PhD mathematician, SBF, with speciality in diffeomorphic functions invariant under analytic contact transformations and regular with respect to nonisotropic Sobolev and Lipschitz spaces, wants to meet science/math professional who will love me for more than my brain.
Microchip designer, SWM, 30, seeks petite beauty.
