From 2008 to 2010, the first cohort of the Sager Science Leadership Institute, a group of 35 monks from 8 different monasteries, was trained and worked to create the first indigenous science education projects and programs. They created dedicated spaces in the monastery for science, authored original articles on science and Buddhism that were published by the Library of Tibetan Works & Archives, and developed two exhibits, the 1st Science Exhibition and the World of Your Senses.
1st Cohort Leadership Groups
David’s Chronons
Location: Bylakuppe, India
Members:
Thupten Nyingney
Monastery: Sera Jey
Group: David’s Chronons
Birth: Nov 25, 1979
Phone: (+91) 9845659958
Email: tsetenyignyen@yahoo.co.in
Favorite Discipline: Neuroscience
“Neuroscience is the most interesting subject in science for me because it is related with all the philosophical and ethical questions in our lives. Just like we need to consult doctors when we have physical problems, we need to consult or deepen our neuroscience to have a complete view about ourselves.”
Thapke Lodoe
Monastery: Sera Je
Group: David’s Chronons
Birth: Feb 20, 1979
Phone: (+91) 09740225304
Email: thabkhelodroe@yahoo.com
Favorite Discipline: Cosmology
“We can teach the essence of science and Buddhism through collaborations and comparisons. It is like an exciting new discovery that’s not happened before. It is also helpful for preserving Tibetan culture and heritage.”
Ngawang Sherap
Monastery: Sera Jey
Group: David’s Chronons
Email: nawangnow@yahoo.com
Favorite Discipline: Neuroscience
“For me learning science is not only to know new things and widen horizon, but also to preserve our culture and heritage.”
Sonam Wangchuk
Monastery: Sera Je
Group: David’s Chronons
Birth: 1975
Phone: (+91) 9845432640
Email: swangchk@yahoo.co.in
Favorite Discipline: Relativity, Quantum Physics
“This world is world of the science, not religion. We have a big problem that is not lack of science, it is not enough of compassion and inability to control human attachment. My dream is to promote compassion with science education, that is why I learn science.”
Geshe Thupten Kunkhen
Monastery: Sera Mey
Group: David’s Chronons
Birth: Dec 15, 1961
Phone: (+91)
Email: tengjanangtk@hotmail.com
Favorite Discipline: Neuroscience and Life science
“Monks and nuns studying science is a very good idea and our leadership students have the responsibility to make this effort a success. Gradually, through ongoing consulting with the monasteries, we can find a away to teach science to the general monastic population as part of their curriculum without causing any damage to their traditional studies.”
Lobsang Choephel
Monastery: Sera Jey
Ngawang Norbu
Monastery: Sera Je
Group: David’s Chronons
Phone: (+91) 9945661407
Email: nganorl@yahoo.com
Favorite Discipline: Neuroscience
“Science education becoming part of monastic education is very important and beneficial. Due to technological advancements countries are becoming closer and closer – this will help in educational exchanges.”
Geshe Nyima Tashi
Monastery: Sera Je
Group: David’s Chronons
Birth: 1961
Phone: (+91) 9845789057
Email: nyima_tashi2002@yahoo.com
Favorite Discipline: Neuro-Psycology, and Neuro-Physiology
“Although, some people worry if monks studying science can contribute something positive to the universe. Most of the people in the monastery are aware of the monks studying science and how it is important. Now, the next step will be starting science classes in the monasteries and we need your advice, how to introduce this according to monastery curriculum… soon we will give you good news.”
Dawa Dorjee
Monastery: Sera Je
Group: David’s Chronons
Phone: (+91) 9980991749
Email: Dador1232003@yahoo.com
Favorite Discipline: Physics
“I was largely interested in scientific information since these are brief and to the point.”
Gaden
Location: Mundgod, India
Members:
Lodeo Sangpo
Monastery: Gaden Jangtse
Group: Gaden
Phone: (+91) 9900482596
Email: ld_sangpo@yahoo.com
Favorite Discipline: Neuroscience and Cosmology
“Monks teaching science to other fellow monks is a very important step. This will not only bring science to the monastic community, but will also lay a firm foundation of science within the entire Tibetan community.”
Lobsang (Soepa) Namgyal
Monastery: Gaden Shartse
Group: Gaden
Birth: 1978
Phone: (+91) 9880006559
Email: LobsangNamgyal67@yahoo.com
Favorite Discipline: Neuroscience
“If science becomes a part of the monastic curriculum, this can not only enhance the Buddhism, but also can also be complementary in science too.”
Kalsang Gyaltsen
Monastery: Gaden Shartse
Group: Gaden
Phone: (+91) 9805475060
Email: drikalsang@gmail.com
Favorite Discipline: Writing
“I love writing, my main aim is to share knowledge, especially science with other students – my monk classmates and all the monks.”
Konchok Choephel
Monastery: Gaden Jangtse
Group: Gaden
Birth: 1977
Phone: (+91) 9742100499
Email: jamyang555@yahoo.co.in
Favorite Discipline: Cosmology and Biology
“At the age of thirteen I joined a secondary school but faced a lot of difficulties in learning science, the lessons were in Chinese and the teachers were just teaching us to pass the test. After that I joined the monastery and studied astrology, Buddhist philosophy, poetry, grammar, and all of the Tibetan traditions, I had a very good teacher. I also learned about lunar and solar eclipses, exactly as it happens according to the international calendar and the Tibetan calendar, so I became very curious to learn more about modern astronomy.”
Ngawang Sherap
Monastery: Gaden Shartse
Group: Gaden
Birth: 1977
Phone: (+91) 9945731957
Email:
Favorite Discipline: Neuroscience and Cosmology
“The most interesting topics are brain science and formation of the universe. We can research on these two topics from both science and Buddhism, in addition, these are two significant frontiers of knowledge.”
Monk Science Corner
Location: Mundgod, India
Members:
Lhundrup Gyatso
Monastery: Drepung Gomang
Group: Monk Science Corner
Birth: Feb 22, 1977
Phone:
(+91) 9743593981/9736265389/9945402889
Email: Lhun_d@yahoo.com
Favorite Discipline: Cosmology
“Studying science has had a great impact on me. Science is something that pervades its influence on every life and for me has created abroad or open outlook towards my Buddhist studies.”
Jime Gyatso
Monastery: Drepung Gomang
Group: Monk Science Corner
Birth: Mar 15, 1979
Phone: (+91) 9845973959/9980562969
Email: jemegatso@yahoo.in
Favorite Discipline: Astronomy/Cosmology
“This century is century of globalization and the introduction of science education is very important. Buddhism has imported ideas from lots other traditions in the past, and although we face a little obstacle of terminology translation, it will not be too difficult to introduce science education.”
Gelek Gyaltsen
Monastery: Drepung Loseling
Group: Monk Science Corner
Birth: Oct 2, 1975
Phone: (+91) 9739352773
Email: tehorgelek@yahoo.com
Favorite Discipline: Neuroscience
“When learning science, I was attracted to the deep and profound explanations of atomic particles. Since then, I was deeply interested in learning science.”
Geshe Ngawang Nyingtop
Group: Monk Science Corner
“Science focuses more on external development, not so much the internal development. Buddhism pays much emphasis on the internal development, not so much on the external development. So monks by studying science can find how to bring these two together.”
Tenzin Choegyal
Monastery: Drepung Loseling
Group: Monk Science Corner
Birth: April 29, 1983
Phone: (+91) 9538933898/9845157808
Email:
tenzinchoegal@gmail.com, t_chogyal@yahoo.co.in
Favorite Discipline: Biology and Neuroscience
“These two topics are of special interest to me. At first, how the mind interprets phenomina around us and then how our affirmation of the self effect the body and functions of mental consciousness.”
Geshe Ngawang Gyatso
Group: Monk Science Corner
Phone: (+91) 9972457206
Email:
ngagya@yahoo.com, t_chogyal@yahoo.co.in
Favorite Discipline: Biology and Neuroscience
“These two topics are of special interest to me. At first, how the mind interprets phenomina around us and then how our affirmation of the self effect the body and functions of mental consciousness.”
Geshe Yeshi Choephel
Monastery: Drepung Loseling
Group: Monk Science Corner
Birth: 1954
Favorite Discipline: Neuroscience
“Neuroscience is the area where I can see that science and Buddhism can benefit most from each other. I think that this can bring results that can be beneficial to all the sentient beings.”
Sonam Choephel
Monastery: Drepung Loseling
Group: Monk Science Corner
Phone: (+91) 9972817784
Email: sonamdakgo@yahoo.co.uk
Favorite Discipline: Physics, Neurology
“The reason why I am studying science is that I want myself to become a 21st century monk. After studying Buddhism for about 20 years, I am trying to become a good servant of the society and science will be a good tool for me, in this field.”
Nargajunas
Location: Mundgod, India
Members:
Geshe Tenpa Phakchok
Monastery: Drepung Gomang
Group: Nargajuna
Birth:Jan 15th, 1958
Phone: (+91) 9741627523
Email: geshetenphakchok@rediffmail.com
Favorite Discipline: Topics related to Buddhist ideas.
“I learn science to analyze science and Buddhism and spread out the good points between these two. Moreover, I would like to teach science to those who are eager to learn.”
Ngawang Lobsang
Monastery: Derpung Loseling
Group: Nargajuna
Birth: 1975
Phone: (+91) 9743847155
Email: dddlobsang@yahoo.co.in
Favorite Discipline:
“As for the Tibetans our present knowledge is not enough to fulfill all of the needs of the Tibetan people. The part of knowledge that is missing in our society is scientific knowledge. So His Holiness encourages Tibetan monastic communities to learn science and to translate this scientific knowledge into Tibetan language for the future generations of the Tibetan people. For the non-Tibetan people in the present world, they have a very good knowledge of science. Their understanding of the material world is high but this is not enough for them to live a happy life, and spirituality is lagging behind. We hope that this kind of education may contribute some spirituality to the scientific community.”
Ngawang Sherap
Monastery: Drepung Loseling
Group: Nargajuna
Birth: Jan 9, 1981
Phone: (+91) 09663480777
Email: norphuntsok@yahoo.in.co
Favorite Discipline: Biology, Physics, Neuroscience
“Science is part of a good education and that it is necessary now in our society. As science becomes a standard education subject at the same time we need to learn Buddhism and science hand-in-hand. So the next generation will pay attention to the Buddhist traditions.”
Sherab Tenzin
Monastery: Drepung Gomang
Group: Nargajuna
Birth: May 13, 1977
Phone: (+91) 9980238602
Email: Ngawa_sherab@yahoo.ca
Favorite Discipline: Neuroscience
“Our monastic abbots need to gather and pass resolution that makes science part of monastic education during a time when the Dalai Lama is present. We must be creative and find ways to teach science at many levels of study.”
Lobsang Dhondup
Group: Nargajuna
Phone: (+91) 9980238602
Email: l_sdhondup@rediffmail.com
Thupten Tsering
Group: Nargajuna
Zhang-Zhung
Location: Solan, India
Members:
Yundrung Konchok
Monastery: Menri (Bon) Monastery
Group: Zhang Zhung
Phone: (+91) 9816836699
Email: yungdrungk@hotmail.com
Dhoundup Gyaltsen
Monastery: Menri (Bon) Monastery
Group: Zhung Zhang
Birth: July 10, 1979
Phone: (+91) 9816774605
Email: dhundupbon@rediffmail.com
Favorite Discipline: Biology
“I consider studying science an important part of my studies. Science and technology advancements help us to modernize and in order for Buddhism to survive in the modern environment, we must collaborate with science to bring benefit to all sentient beings.”
Sakya Pandita
Location: Mundgod, India
Members:
Tashi Phuntsok
Monastery: Sakya Monastery
Group: Sakya Pandita
Birth: 1975
Phone: (+91) 9008901243
Email: acharyasakyatashi@gmail.com
Favorite Discipline: Physics
“It is my great hope and dream to establish an institution where Tibetan monks can study both Buddhism and science”