About The Cluster
Founded in 2023, we are a collective of scholars, artists, and activists who strive to make a positive difference in the world by:
- Rediscovering Joy: Helping people find happiness in face-to-face interactions and shared experiences.
- Promoting Togetherness: Encouraging activities that bring people together, like group dancing and creative arts, to counteract the rise of social isolation.
- Boosting Health: Showing how strong personal connections can improve both mental and physical health.
- Celebrating Creativity: Highlighting the importance of artistic expression in building meaningful connections and enriching lives.
- Shaping Policy: Advocating for better support and funding for arts education and activities that foster human connection.
- Embracing Diversity: Demonstrating the value of diverse perspectives and ways of connecting, thinking, and being.
Our Vision
We seek transdisciplinary approaches to practicing, understanding, and enhancing human connection and alignment for the benefit of individuals, groups, and communities.
Our Research
We study connection and alignment at multiple levels:
Sensory(e.g., aligned auditory or visual perception)
Physiological(e.g., coordinated heart activity and breathing)
Neural(e.g., coupled brain activity)
Physical(e.g., body movements coordinated in time and space)
Mental(e.g., aligned goals, action plans, knowledge, understanding)
Linguistic(e.g., aligned terminology, grammatical structures, non-verbal cues)
Affective(e.g., sharing and understanding feelings and emotions)
Values(e.g., aligned beliefs, and principles)
Spiritual(e.g., shared sense of purpose or meaning)