Memorial University is celebrating a milestone.

As of last week, 1,000 research projects are now listed on the university’s new online search engine known as Yaffle.

The website – which has been compared to Google – allows users to connect with faculty expertise, find out about current research projects, and to submit ideas for new research and partnerships. The site was launched Feb. 11, and is growing every day.

On April 1, the number of projects described in Yaffle reached the 1,000 milestone.

Dr. Noel Roy, a professor in Memorial’s Department of Economics, entered his own research project titled The Fishery as Economic Base in the Newfoundland Economy. That entry pushed Yaffle to the 1,000 mark.

Dr. Rob Greenwood, director of the university’s Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development, which led the development of Yaffle for Memorial, said the new site has quickly become a popular search engine for people around the world.

“Since its launch in February, Yaffle has had close to 20,000 hits from over 100 countries around the world,” said Dr. Greenwood.

“No other university has an easy-to-use system like this to connect the resources of the university to the needs of communities, organizations and citizens.”

Yaffle allows users to find an expert, query research being done by the university in their geographic region, and even suggest research ideas. 

The site contains lay summaries on various projects being carried out by the university, as well as contact information for more than 400 experts in a range of fields, many of whom are available for media interviews or speaking engagements. 

Yaffle is continually being updated, and is available on the Internet to communities around the province and around the country. Users can also enter their interests in Yaffle and receive a regular e-mail update on new projects and opportunities that have been entered into the system.