Plenary Faculty and Discussants
Plenary faculty deliver lectures and are available to answer attendee questions throughout the week, often leading breakout sessions and participating in panel discussions. Their lectures expand on the week’s theme, deepening and broadening our shared knowledge from a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and disciplines. The faculty includes scientists, clinical researchers, contemplative practitioners, scholars, and teachers from a variety of disciplines.
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
Board Chair, Mind & Life Institute
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, Planning Committee 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, Planning Committee Member, Reviewer
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 Institute and Zen Center
Convening Faculty, Fellow, Founding Steward
Roshi Joan Halifax, PhD is a Buddhist teacher; Founder and Head Teacher of Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico; a social activist; author; and in her early years … MORE
Barbara (Bobbi) Patterson, PhD
Emory University
Convening Faculty, Fellow, Planning Committee Member, Research and Programs Council Member, Reviewer
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
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, Reviewer
Evan Thompson is a writer and Professor of Philosophy at the University of British Columbia, where he is also an Associate Member of the Department of Asian Studies and the … 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, Planning Committee 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
Contemplative Faculty
Contemplative faculty guide participants through practices that integrate their first-person experience with themes being explored, interspersing contemplative art and practice sessions with free time for personal reflection. In addition to daily practice, the contemplative faculty lead the retreat time.
Kaira Jewel Lingo
Convening Faculty, Fellow
Kaira Jewel Lingo is a Dharma teacher with a lifelong interest in spirituality and social justice. Her work continues the Engaged Buddhism developed by Thich Nhat Hanh, and she draws inspiration … MORE
Willa Blythe Baker, PhD
Natural Dharma Fellowship
Convening Faculty
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 authorized … 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
Program Planning Committee
The Program Planning Committee (PPC) is a committee of invited specialists from diverse disciplines and perspectives who bring their expertise to curate and produce the content of the conference. In addition to developing the overall theme and narrative arc of the program, the members of the PPC actively participate and serve in leadership roles throughout the conference. The PPC members for SRI 2021 are Bobbi Patterson (co-chair), Elissa Epel (co-chair), Dekila Chungyalpa and Bruce Barrett.
