THE MISSION
The Love Consortium is a digitally-connected community of researchers engaged in the advanced scientific study of high-quality social connections. The Love Consortium members aspire to facilitate such research through collaborative opportunities that emerge from archived data. The Love Consortium Advisory Board, with support from members, facilitates the two core aspects of the mission: fostering connections among researchers and advancing the science.
Values
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Scientific innovation, rigor, and integrity
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Inclusion and open-mindedness
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Future-orientation
On Inclusion
Strategies
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Supporting rigorous research
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Training the next generation
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Outreach to foster and support collaborations
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Growth: evaluating processes, identifying lessons and opportunities, improving processes
We are committed to understanding human connection across all contexts and from the perspective of all identities. We aspire to facilitate collaborations among researchers from diverse backgrounds as well as advance the science of social relationships across race, ethnicity, gender, age, socio-economic status, religion, sexual orientation, identity, and experience. The Love Consortium is for everyone.
To learn more about the value of research in this area, listen to TLC Director Sara Algoe and TLC Program Manager Laura Kurtz chat with Alie Ward, host of the Ologies podcast.
BOARD OF ADVISORS
Sara Algoe, Ph.D., Director
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
Amie Gordon, Ph.D.
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Saida Heshmati, Ph.D.
Claremont Graduate University
Claremont, California, USA
Amrisha Vaish, Ph.D.
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
Belinda Campos, Ph.D.
University of California, Irvine
Irvine, California, USA
Kristina Coop Gordon, Ph.D.
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
Johan Karremans, Ph.D.
Radboud University
Nijmegen, Netherlands
Anik Debrot, Ph.D.
University of Lausanne
Lausanne, Switzerland
Gul Gunaydin, Ph.D.
Sabanci University
Istanbul, Turkey
Jessica Stern, Ph.D.
Pomona College
Claremont, California, USA
TLC STAFF
Laura Kurtz, Ph.D.
Program Manager
Emily Le
Program Coordinator
Angela Paige
Science Communications and Events Coordinator
TLC TIMELINE
2018
Formed TLC Board of Directors
2019
In-person TLC Inaugural Meeting
2019
Inaugural Workshop on the Science of Love
2019
Launched TLC Dataverse
2020
Funded first cohort of Love Fellows
2021
Funded second cohort of Love Fellows
2022
First in-person TLC Love Conference
2023
Launched Global Gratitude Dataverse
2024
Funded Global Gratitude Fellows
2024
Second in-person TLC Love Conference
2025
Introduced committees
2025
Launched TLC Skillverse
2026
Joint APS-TLC Empathy Preconference in Barcelona
FUNDING
The Love Consortium is based in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a public institution and certified 501(c)(3). The work we do is entirely funded through grants and donations. Since 2018, TLC's resources, events, and grants have reached thousands of researchers and supported dozens of innovative collaborations on love and social connection. If you would like to support our work so that we may continue to make an impact, we invite you to consider donating to The Love Consortium via the button below.
Your gift will help translate research on love into knowledge that strengthens relationships and communities in North Carolina and around the world. Donations provide flexible support for The Love Consortium's greatest needs, including resource development and maintenance, research and travel grants, and events that bring together scientists who study human connection.
Note: Clicking the button will direct you to complete your gift securely on UNC's Carolina Giving site.
TLC launched with support from the John Templeton Foundation, and we have been able to build on our original vision with their continued support for special projects and partnerships. We are also grateful for the support from the Templeton Religion Trust and our partnerships with the University of California, San Diego and the University of Notre Dame's Institute for Ethics and the Common Good.
