The Emory-Tibet Science Initiative (ETSI), a comprehensive science education program for Tibetan monastics, is a collaboration between two sophisticated investigative traditions: science and Buddhism. Through ETSI, scientists and Buddhist scholars engage multiple modes of inquiry in areas of mutual interest to further humanity’s understanding of the internal and external worlds. In the last two decades, ETSI has worked to integrate science into the core curriculum of monastic academic institutions, completing the implementation phase for monks (2014-2019), pilot (2008-2013), and development (2006-2007) stages of the project. It is currently completing the sustainability phase (2021-2025) and the implementation for nuns (2017 -2025, with two gap years).
Key to ETSI’s success is an emphasis on long-term sustainability, ensuring this unique program is embedded in the participating monasteries—thus cultivating a new type of scientist with fresh perspectives on how to employ time-tested, contemplative methodologies to relieve suffering in the contemporary world. By creating common ground between science and spirituality and respectfully exploring possible tensions, ETSI is making a significant contribution to human knowledge and wisdom. The presentation of innovative research studies exploring the impact of different contemplative practices at the ETSI’s first monastic research conference in May 2024 is a testament to how far the program has come.
In this project we aim to 1) offer advanced science content specialization training and research enhancement training to a group of twenty-seven monastics who are graduates of the three-year sustainability phase program, 2) establish a science research enhancement, research methodology, and pedagogy development fund to which these monastics will apply to execute self-initiated projects, and 3) offer the sustainability training and specialization training to a second cohort of monastics–-monks and nuns.
