The center was founded by Dacher Keltner in 2001, with a donation from UC Berkeley alumni Thomas and Ruth Hornaday following the death of their daughter from cancer.
[1] Based at the University of California, Berkeley, it sponsors scientific research into social and emotional well-being.
The center draws upon academic fields such as psychology, sociology, education, economics, and neuroscience in its research.
[4] The magazine highlighted scientific research into the roots of compassion, altruism, and empathy and included stories of compassion in action, providing a bridge between social scientists and parents, educators, community leaders, and policy makers.
[5] The magazine was nominated by the Utne Reader as one of the top independent publications in the country.