Greater Good Science Center

The Greater Good Science Center is a psychological research center affiliated with the University of California, Berkeley. It conducts research on topics like “compassion, happiness, and altruism,” which it publishes in its magazine, Greater Good. 1

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At-A-Glance

Type: Organization, Other
Ideological Alignment: Left of Center
Issue Areas: Identity Politics (for race-based policy/activism), Healthcare Policy, Education Policy
Website: ggsc.berkeley.edu
Formation:

2001

Location:

Berkeley, CA

Executive Director:

Jason Marsh

Contents

    It also offers consulting services for corporations and municipalities, as well as classes for students.  2   

    Background

    The Greater Good Science Center was founded in 2001 through a gift made by University of California, Berkeley alumni Thomas and Ruth Ann Hornaday. Professor Dacher Keltner, an academic in UC Berkeley’s psychology department, was tapped as its director, a position that he continues to hold as of February 2026. 3

    The center, then-named the Berkeley Center for the Development of Peace and Well-Being, was launched with its fellowship program and a public events series, both of which were open to undergraduate and graduate students at UC Berkeley. According to a 2017 interview with Berkeleyside, a Berkeley local newspaper, Professor Keltner wanted to “disseminate [the information studied at the center] to everyone.” Two years later, in 2004, Greater Good magazine was launched.  3

    In 2006, the center was renamed after the magazine to the Greater Good Science Center.  1

    By 2020, the center began consulting services with K-12 educators and later expanded to consulting groups such as LG, Facebook, Pixar, and Disney.  4

    Activities

    The Greater Good Science Center’s two largest programs are its Greater Good magazine and its Science of Happiness course.  5

    The Greater Good magazine is published entirely online, alongside a podcast. It provides articles and videos on topics of education, health, spirituality, and politics through focusing on “nature, ideals, and communities.”  5

    Outside of its consulting and public events series, the center has several “Major Initiatives,” which are funded by the John Templeton Foundation.  It covers topics covered by the Greater Good magazine like altruism, education, and politics. 6

    Past publications written have been written on “misinformation and polarization,” 7 right-of-center policies on issues such as abortion coverage and paid leave, 8 “safe space[s]” in the classroom, 9 social media’s impact on mental health, 10 and providing “anti-racist” resources. 11

    Finances

    According to the Greater Good Science Center’s 2024 annual report, several of the major funders for the institution between 2020 and 2024 have included the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Meta, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. 12

    In July 2020, the Center was listed as one of 116 organizations MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, donated to for “driving change.” 13

    Leadership

    The director of the Greater Good Science Center is Professor Dacher Keltner. Prior to joining UC Berkeley in 1996, he worked at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  14

    Jason Marsh is the center’s executive director and is also the editor in chief of the Greater Good magazine. Before joining the center, he was the managing editor of the journal The Responsive Community as well as a reporter and producer for KQED Public Radio in San Francisco. 15

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    References

    1. Our Story. (n.d.). Retrieved December 16, 2020, from https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/who_we_are/our_story 
    2. “What We Do.” Greater Good Science Center. Accessed March 8, 2026. https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/what_we_do.
    3. White, D. (2017, July 26). Dacher Keltner pursues happiness (and other things) at the Greater Good Science Center. Retrieved December 16, 2020, from https://www.berkeleyside.com/2017/07/26/dacher-keltner-pursues-happiness-things-greater-good-science-center/ 
    4. Consulting. (n.d.). Retrieved December 16, 2020, from https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/what_we_do/consulting
    5. Quarcoo, A., Clarke, C., Way, N., Hopper, C., DeMonte, K., Patel, E., . . . Abdullah, M. (2020, November 4). What Can We Do Now? Retrieved December 16, 2020, from https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_can_we_do_now 
    6. “Major Initiatives.” Greater Good Science Center. Accessed March 8, 2026. https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/what_we_do/major_initiatives.
    7. Sah, Sunita. “How to Practice Defiance When It Matters.” Greater Good, January 9, 2026. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_practice_defiance_when_it_matters.
    8. Strauss, Elissa. “Can the Right and Left Agree on What Families Need?” Greater Good, October 3, 2025. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/can_the_right_and_the_left_agree_on_what_families_need.
    9. Brower, Emily. “Can We Have Better Classroom Conversations in Challenging Times?” Greater Good, July 8, 2025. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/can_we_have_better_classroom_conversations_in_challenging_times.
    10. Suttie, Jill. “How Social Media Brings out the Worst in US.” Greater Good, June 9, 2025. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_social_media_brings_out_the_worst_in_us.
    11. “Anti-Racist Resources from Greater Good.” Greater Good, June 3, 2020. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/antiracist_resources_from_greater_good.
    12. “2024 GGSC Annual Report.” Greater Good Science Center. Accessed February 23, 2026. https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/images/uploads/GGSC_Annual_Report_2024.pdf.
    13. Scott, MacKenzie. “116 Organizations Driving Change.” Medium, July 28, 2020. https://mackenzie-scott.medium.com/116-organizations-driving-change-67354c6d733d.
    14. “Staff.” Greater Good Science Center. Accessed March 8, 2026. https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/who_we_are/our_people/staff.
    15. “Staff.” Greater Good Science Center. Accessed February 23, 2026. https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/who_we_are/our_people/staff.