Dacher Keltner

Dacher Keltner: Chief Scientific Advisor at Hume AI

Dacher Keltner is a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley and the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center.13 He is also the chief scientific advisor at Hume AI, a company focused on developing empathic artificial intelligence.234

Biography

Keltner was born in Mexico and raised in California. He received his B.A. from UC Santa Barbara and his Ph.D. from Stanford University.1 Keltner's research focuses on the biological and evolutionary origins of emotions like compassion, awe, love, and beauty, as well as power dynamics and social inequality.3

Academic Career

Keltner began his academic career at the University of Wisconsin–Madison before joining UC Berkeley's psychology department in 1996, where he became a full professor in 2002.1 He has published over 230 scientific articles and is the author of several books, including Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life, The Power Paradox, and Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder.13

Collaborations

Keltner has collaborated with Pixar on the films Inside Out and Soul, and with Facebook and Google on projects related to emotion and well-being.13 He has also worked with the Sierra Club to take veterans and inner-city youth outdoors.1

Honors and Awards

Keltner has received numerous awards for his research, teaching, and writing. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has presented his work to the Dalai Lama.3 His podcast The Science of Happiness has over 50 million downloads and was ranked a top health podcast by Apple Podcasts.3