BRANCH Mission
Advancing the interdisciplinary study of relationship science and health with the mission of
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advancing relationship-centered healthcare
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mapping out the foundations of relationship science
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building interdisciplinary capacity to articulate and implement the science of what matters in healthcare- the science of trust, empathy, and compassion
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connecting communication pathways to facilitate relational healthcare and better health outcomes
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helping people live longer, healthier, and more fulfilling lives
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designing and implementing projects that come from and amplify the wisdom of a life-span perspective
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building tools grounded in relationship science that facilitate reflection and transformation for positive health
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developing resources for the relationship science-informed transformation in healthcare and in health/illness
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mapping out new scientific concepts and new tools for the greater good- Meliotropism in open science
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articulating the science of “meliotropism” – This is a new concept that we developed and registered in open science. Meliotropism is an orientation toward meaningful, prosocial, and health-promoting action that benefits both the self and the broader community. Meliotropism represents a unifying concept for the science of how individuals can move toward flourishing.
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facilitating meliotropism – Meliotropism as an orientation also provides a practical framework for guiding ethical design and implementation of tools including digital health tools such as purposeful Artificial Intelligence (AI)- driven systems.
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BRANCH initiative commitments – How BRANCH teams work
Intellectual Humility in Relationships and Collaborations. Meliotropism provides language for describing the dynamic orientation of individuals toward growth that is not only personal, but meaningfully connected to the health and wellbeing of others. As BRANCH develops, our core values and communication are grounded in building meliotropism in relationships in our own teams, which means intellectual humility and a focus on identifying and amplifying strengths to build a positive future. Our activities, projects, and organizational development emphasize what is working well and what is desired in outcomes and impact, as well as in developing relationships and collaborations that facilitate meaningful growth and productive communication for our teams.
We build on the concept and impact of meliotropism. Furthermore, as healthcare, education,
and technology increasingly intersect, new constructs are needed to shape the ethical and
empathic scaffolding of digital tools, particularly in scaling healthcare tools, in coaching and AI-
supported interventions.
Building International, Interdisciplinary Understanding. The BRANCH initiative builds international, interdisciplinary understanding in the way that we grow. BRANCH builds from the cultural ambassador commitments of the Fulbright program. This means that fostering positive relationships, dispelling stereotypes, and sustaining understanding of what matters to people. This approach drives the development and implementation of BRANCH writing retreats, think tanks, and projects. Building from success in her time in residence as Senior Fulbright Fellow, Ashley organizes and facilitates opportunities to connect across disciplines. Partnerships and relationships result from what people learn and develop from BRANCH leadership and resources.
The digital health research group at a writing retreat in Co Mayo. Pictured in this 2023 writing group is (from left to right): Dr Róisín O'Donovan (Postdoctoral Researcher), Dr Pádraic Dunne (team lead), PhD Students Justin Laiti, Jennifer Donnelly, and Croía Loughnane, and Prof Ashley Duggan (Fullbright Scholar).