The Global Research Centre for Diverse Intelligences (GRCDI), co-directed by Josep Call and Amanda Seed at the University of St Andrews has been selected by the Templeton World Charity Foundation (TWCF) as one of three global hubs advancing research into Diverse Intelligences. The TWCF has also named Princeton University and Macquarie University as Diverse Intelligence Hubs for the North American and Asian regions
This new funding will support the GRCDI’s mission to facilitate interdisciplinary research into varied forms of intelligence, including animal cognition, human creativity, and artificial intelligence.
A portion of the initial grant will be allocated to the creation of a new seed funding program, aimed at supporting early-career researchers and international collaborations. More details on the number and value of these seed funding opportunities will be coming soon, along with details for an open call with how to apply.
The GRCDI will also host a range of thematic workshops and events, establish a visiting scholar program to foster knowledge exchange between research groups, and collaborate with Indiana University’s Center for Advanced Study of Diverse Intelligences (CARDI), led by Jacob Foster and Erica Cartmill, to co-fund postdoctoral fellowships and support the development of AI-enabled research tools for the community, such as a Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) system to assist in synthesizing the existing DI literature.
Community-building and outreach are central to the Global Research Centre for Diverse Intelligences, and the support from the Templeton World Charity Foundation will enable a range of public engagement initiatives. These include a recurring series of “DI Evenings” in St Andrews, designed to make current research accessible to the wider public through talks, discussions, and interactive formats. Educational partnerships with Edinburgh Zoo and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums will support the development of exhibits that communicate diverse intelligences in engaging and informative ways. Looking ahead, the Centre also plans to launch a Diverse Intelligences Summer School for secondary school students in 2027, offering young learners an immersive introduction to interdisciplinary approaches to intelligence.
This project was made possible through the support of a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation, Inc funder DOI 501100011730 through grant doi.org/10.54224/34231.