Jan. 8, 2026, MĀʻALAEA, MAUI, HI — Matt Gorman, who began his career at Maui Ocean Center as a teenager, has been named the aquarium's new curatorial director.
 
Now 31, Gorman leads a team of a dozen aquarists and divers who are responsible for the marine life under Maui Ocean Center's care. The team's daily tasks include preparing food and feeding animals, maintaining water and lighting systems, and carefully cleaning each exhibit. They also help with exhibit design, including an expanded octopus display that recently opened. 
 
“The animals in our exhibits act as ambassadors for their species and help us educate the public,” Gorman said. “We want to create a connection between people and the ocean because you can't care about something — or want to protect something — without having that connection.”

One of his favorite parts of the job is overseeing Maui Ocean Center's Shark Dive Maui program. Over the years, Gorman has led hundreds of dives in Maui Ocean Center's 750,000-gallon Open Ocean exhibit — featuring five species of sharks — with visitors from around the world.
 
Guests looking to stay dry can still experience the curatorial team in action: a diver talks from under water at the Open Ocean exhibit during daily presentations at 11 a.m.
 
Gorman, who served as assistant curator for more than four years, moved to Maui as a young child and started working part-time at Maui Ocean Center after graduating from King Kekaulike High School in 2012. He attended the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College and earned a degree in sustainable science management with an emphasis in marine science.

Gorman's father, John, was a longtime curator at Maui Ocean Center and still works on the curatorial team. “He has a lot of dedication and passion for this place,” Gorman said of his father.
 
Outgoing curator Chris Keller has relocated to assist with Ocean Berlin, a new aquarium currently under construction in Germany. Keller will serve as assistant chief curator to help in the final stages of construction and team building. In addition to Maui Ocean Center and Ocean Berlin, Coral World International operates aquariums in Spain, Israel and Australia.
 
Those interested in joining Maui Ocean Center's curatorial team, either as an aquarist or diver, can visit the careers page at mauioceancenter.com.