PEOPLE : Is It Love or Is It Chemistry?

What on Earth could a research chemist from New Jersey, a retired astronomer from Vancouver, a Texas molecular cytogeneticist and a Washington psychopharmacologist possibly have in common?

If you guessed that they know the difference between a proton and a neutron, you’re only half right. They are scientists, but they are scientists in search of that most unscientific thing of all: love.

They are members of Science Connection, a dating service developed by Anne Lambert, an Ontario, Canada, biologist.

For $60 a year, a land reclamation specialist from Illinois can meet the NIH section chief of his dreams. But you need not be an MIT-oid to apply; science dabblers are welcome too.

So far, the year-old group boasts 580 members in the United States and Canada--California leads with 84.

Says Lambert: “We felt that people who are interested in science have a lot in common. There’s something about science people. They tend to be reserved. They like to be with their own group.”

Besides, who else could fully appreciate this personal ad from a member in Michigan: “40, D, 5’10”. Systems mathematician doing research in the modeling of economic, manufacturing, agricultural & ecological systems. . . .”

Science Connection, P.O. Box 188, Youngstown, N.Y. 14174 or call (800) 667-5179.