FACULTY

​John D. Dunne holds the Distinguished Chair in Contemplative Humanities, at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.  
John's work is guided by the motivation to reduce suffering and enhance flourishing, and he brings that intention to his work on Buddhist philosophy and contemplative practice, especially in dialog with cognitive science and secularized contemplative interventions.

FACULTY

James Gentry is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Stanford. He specializes in Tibetan Buddhism, with particular focus on the literature and history of its Tantric traditions.

James’s research ranges across Tibetan and Himalayan intellectual history, material culture, contemplative and ritual practice, and scriptural translation, revelation, and canonicity, from the Tibetan imperial period to the present.

FACULTY

As a scholar and translator at 84000 Ana Cristina Lopes specializes in Tibetan Buddhist literature and culture, working at the intersection of textual scholarship and the living transmission of Buddhist thought.

Ana Cristina has served as faculty at the University of Virginia and UNC Greensboro, and has taught at Stanford University.

EXTENDED FACULTY

Khenpo Pema Namgyal is a senior teacher in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Drawing on many years of study and practice, he offers clear and practical guidance in Buddhist philosophy and meditation.

EXTENDED FACULTY

Chiara Mascarello is a researcher at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, specializing in Tibetan Buddhism. Her work focuses on Indo-Tibetan contemplative literature, its contemporary transmission, and its interdisciplinary dialogue with modern consciousness studies. After five years as co-director of the Italian Buddhist Union’s Research Center, she continues to serve as a scientific consultant. She also lectures at several Italian universities, contributing to the academic and public discourse on contemplative practices.

EXTENDED FACULTY

Francesco Tormen is a philosopher specializing in Tibetan language, Buddhist philosophy, and contemplative studies, with teaching experience at several Italian universities. He currently serves as Co-Director of the Study Center of the Italian Buddhist Union and is actively involved in postgraduate programs in contemplative studies and neuroscience. His work bridges neuroscience and contemplative traditions. His research interests also include Madhyamaka philosophy and dialogues between Buddhism, posthumanism, and transhumanism.

SPEAKER (Conference)

PETER D. HERSHOCK is an intercultural philosopher who makes use of Buddhist conceptual resources to address contemporary issues of global concern, with a focus on emerging technologies. A co-founder of the Buddhism & AI Initiative, he is Adjunct Senior Fellow, former Director of the Asian Studies Development Program and Humane AI Initiative at the East-West Center in Honolulu; an Advisor to AI & Faith and the Union of Italian Buddhist Research Centre; and was a Fellow at the Berggruen Institute China Center in 2018-2019. He is the author of more than fifty journal articles and book chapters, and the author or editor of more than fifteen books. His two most recent books are: Buddhism and Intelligent Technology: Toward a More Humane Future (2021) and Consciousness Mattering: A Buddhist Synthesis (2023)

SPEAKER (COURSE)

Jim Rheingans is Professor for Tibetan Studies at the University of
Vienna and key researcher in the interdisciplinary Cluster of Excellence
"Eurasian Transformations." Jim’s main research concerns the religious
and intellectual history of the Tibetan plateau with a focus on Buddhist
meditative traditions and their masters (Kagyu and Sakya) from the 13th
to the 17th century and Tibetan literary genres. He is also interested
in interdisciplinary collaborations, in particular the exchange with
cognitive Neuroscience in investigating Himalayan contemplative
traditions (founding of the Vienna Meditation Research Network in 2023).
Next to his research, he has acted as interpreter for Tibetan scholars
and meditation masters for more than twenty years.

SPEAKER (Conference)
Gábor Karsai is director of Mind and Life Europe, and presently serves as Rector of the Dharma Gate Buddhist College in Budapest, as well as Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies.

SPEAKER (SUMMIT)

Vinciane Rycroft is an educator and project manager with thirty years of experience in Buddhist wisdom and practice, as well as a Master’s degree in the sciences of education. She regards AI as a key development in contemporary society and co-founded the Wisdom and AI professional network last year to contribute to the integration of wisdom in AI decision-making.

She is currently a trainer at Bodhi and Mind with Heart, and an active board member of the international Buddhist network Rigpa.

SPEAKER (Conference)
Marieke van Vugt is an assistant professor at the Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Engineering (ALICE) of the University of Groningen (Netherlands). The research in Dr. van Vugt’s lab focuses on how, when and why we mind-wander, and what the fundamental cognitive operations are that underlie meditation and mindfulness.

SPEAKER (Conference)

Paul Colognese is an AI safety researcher focusing on understanding AI goals and values. He has collaborated with Anthropic and the AI Security Institute, and co-founded the London Initiative for Safe AI.

SPEAKER (COURSE)
Julian is a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer at the Department of South Asian, Tibetan and Buddhist Studies at the University of Vienna. Trained in Indology, Tibetology, Philosophy, and Religious Studies, he specializes in Indo-Tibetan tantric traditions, with a focus on primary Sanskrit sources and Tibetan translation literature. He has published, e.g., on dohā traditions and exegetical “siddha literature” centered on Mahāmudrā and the Kālacakra. In addition to textual scholarship, Julian engages with contemplative studies, aiming at uniting humanities with scientific perspectives. Julian has done contemplative training in Japanese, Chinese and foremost Himalayan and Indian spiritual traditions of tantric Buddhism, Yoga and Qi Gong. 

SPEAKER (Conference)

Jonathan is a thought leader on digital habits, bringing together decades of experience as an educator, creative technologist and meditation instructor. He authored the book ‘Your Best Digital Life’, and oversees the curriculum development at Mind over Tech.

SPEAKER & COORDINATION (Conference)

Ryan Stagg is a nonprofit leader with ten years of experience driving strategic growth in mission-driven organizations and part of the Buddhism and AI Initiative.