2021 Summer Research Institute Faculty

Christiana Figueres

Global Climate Leader

Convening Faculty

Christiana Figueres is a Costa Rican citizen and an internationally recognized leader on climate change. She was Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from … MORE

Vandana Shiva, PhD

Founder, Navdanya

Convening Faculty

Dr. Vandana Shiva is trained as a Physicist and did her Ph.D. on the subject “Hidden Variables and Non-locality in Quantum Theory” from the University of Western Ontario in Canada. … MORE

Matthieu Ricard, PhD

Karuna-shechen

Convening Faculty, Fellow

Matthieu Ricard, Ph.D., is a Buddhist monk at Schechen Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal. Born in France in 1946, he received his Ph.D. in Cellular Genetics at the Institut Pasteur under … MORE

Carolyn Finney, PhD

Middlebury College

Convening Faculty

Carolyn Finney, PhD is a storyteller, author and a cultural geographer. The aim of her work is to develop greater cultural competency within environmental organizations and institutions, challenge media outlets … MORE

Thupten Jinpa, PhD

McGill University

Thupten Jinpa, Ph.d., received his early education and training as a monk and obtained the Geshe Lharam degree from the Shartse College of Ganden Monastic University, South India. In addition, Jinpa … MORE

Dekila Chungyalpa

Loka Initiative, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Convening Faculty, PPC Member

Dekila Chungyalpa is the Co-Founder and Director of the Loka Initiative, a capacity-building and outreach platform at the University of Wisconsin – Madison for faith leaders and culture keepers of Indigenous … MORE

Elke Weber, PhD

Princeton University

Convening Faculty

Elke Weber is the Gerhard R. Andlinger Professor in Energy and the Environment and Professor of Psychology and Public Affairs at Princeton University and founder and director of the Behavioral … MORE

Elissa Epel, PhD

University of California, San Francisco

Convening Faculty, Fellow, PPC Member

Elissa Epel, Ph.D, is a Professor, and Vice Chair, in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, at University of California, San Francisco. She studies psychological, social, and behavioral pathways … MORE

Roshi Joan Halifax, PhD

Upaya Zen Center

Convening Faculty, Fellow

Roshi Joan Halifax is a Buddhist teacher, Zen priest, anthropologist, and pioneer in the field of end-of-life care. She is Founder, Abbot, and Head Teacher of Upaya Institute and Zen … MORE

Barbara (Bobbi) Patterson, PhD

Emory University

Convening Faculty, Fellow, PPC Member

Bobbi Patterson’s scholarship focuses on lived religion and place, human and earth ecosystems, and pedagogy, particularly those involving community-based partnerships. Her scholarly training and teaching engages Christian and Buddhist contemplative … MORE

Lyla June

Discussant

Lyla June is an Indigenous musician, scholar and community organizer of Diné (Navajo), Tsétsêhéstâhese (Cheyenne) and European lineages. Her dynamic, multi-genre presentation style has engaged audiences across the globe towards … MORE

Kyle Whyte, PhD

University of Michigan

Convening Faculty

Kyle Whyte is George Willis Pack Professor of Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan. Previously, Kyle was Professor of Philosophy and Community Sustainability and Timnick Chair at Michigan … MORE

Christine Wamsler, PhD

Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies (LUCSUS)

Convening Faculty

Christine Wamsler is Professor of Sustainability Science and director of the Contemplative Sustainable Futures Program.  The aim of the Contemplative Sustainable Futures Program is to create space and opportunities for … MORE

Katharine Hayhoe, PhD

Texas Tech University

Convening Faculty

Katharine Hayhoe is an accomplished atmospheric scientist who studies climate change and why it matters to us here and now. She is also a remarkable communicator who has received the … MORE

Evan Thompson, PhD

University of British Columbia

Convening Faculty, Fellow, Grantee

Evan Thompson is Professor of Philosophy at the University of British Columbia. He studies the mind, life, consciousness, and the self, from the perspectives of cognitive science, philosophy of mind, … MORE

Oladosu Adenike Titilope

Discussant

Oladosu Adenike Titilope is an eco-feminist and a climate justice activist; an advocate for the restoration of Lake Chad for sustainable development and regional stability. In 2019, she became the … MORE

Bruce Barrett, MD, PhD

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Convening Faculty, PPC Member

Bruce Barrett is Professor and Vice Chair for Research in Family Medicine and Community Health (DFMCH) at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.  Following M.D. and Ph.D. (Anthropology) degrees in … MORE

Felipe Jain, MD

Harvard Medical School

Discussant

Dr. Felipe Jain, MD, is Director of Healthy Aging Studies at the Massachusetts General Hospital’s Depression Clinical and Research Program. He is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, … MORE

Fred Bahnson

Discussant

Fred Bahnson is an award-winning writer and author of Soil & Sacrament (Simon & Schuster). “This book is profoundly, beautifully down to earth,” wrote Bill McKibben, “which is almost certainly where we … MORE

Jonathan Rose

Jonathan Rose Companies LLC

Convening Faculty

Jonathan F.P. Rose’s business, public policy, teaching, writing and not-for-profit work focuses on creating more environmentally, socially and economically resilient cities. In 1989, Mr. Rose founded Jonathan Rose Companies LLC, … MORE

Karen O’ Brien, PhD

University of Oslo

Convening Faculty

Karen O’Brien is a Professor in the Department of Sociology and Human Geography at the University of Oslo, Norway. She is also co-founder of cCHANGE, a company that supports transformation in … MORE

Donald Perovich, PhD

Darthmouth College

Panelist

Dr. Perovich’s research interest is understanding the Arctic system and its role in global climate change. The central focus of his research is simple to state: where does all the … MORE

Bonnie Waltch

Panelist

Bonnie Waltch is a producer, director, and writer for documentaries and museum exhibit media. Most recently, she produced and wrote the one-hour international television documentary, Earth Emergency, and series of … MORE

Ed Maibach, PhD

George Mason University

Convening Faculty

Edward Maibach is a Mason Distinguished University Professor and Director of the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication. His research and practice focus on enhancing public and policymaker engagement … MORE

Kaira Jewel Lingo

Convening Faculty

Kaira graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. and M.A. in Anthropology and Social Sciences and teaches Buddhist meditation, mindfulness, and compassion internationally, with a focus on activists, people of … MORE

Willa Blythe Baker, PhD

Natural Dharma Fellowship

Convening Faculty

Lama Willa Blythe Baker, PhD, is the Founder and Spiritual Director of Natural Dharma Fellowship in Boston, MA and its retreat center Wonderwell Mountain Refuge in Springfield, NH. She was … MORE

Peter Wayne, PhD

Harvard Medical School

Convening Faculty, Fellow

Peter Wayne, PhD, is a researcher and practitioner in the field of mind-body and integrative medicine.  Dr. Wayne is the Bernard Osher Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School … MORE

Kelley Nicole Palmer

Convening Faculty

Kelley Nicole Palmer is a black, queer creative and community advocate based in Charlotte NC.  Kelley uses the practices and philosophy of yoga to guide her work in creating equitable … MORE