Professor awarded prestigious Senior Fellowship for Dalai Lama Studies & Nalanda Studies
In recognition of his commitment to mental health and mind-science dialogue, Assistant Director of the Doctor of Social Work Program Ngawang Legshe, DSW, LCSW-BACS, has been selected for the Senior Fellowship for Dalai Lama Studies and Nalanda Studies. Dr. Legshe, who was a Tibetan Buddhist monk for more than 20 years, specializes in mindfulness, compassion, and meditation for improved emotional and mind-body balance.
The senior fellowship, awarded for the first time this year in celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday, honors the Nalanda tradition of developing wisdom through critical thinking and analysis. It was awarded to only four individuals across the globe whose research bridges rigorous academic inquiry with the ethical and philosophical dimensions of Tibetan Buddhism and the rich intellectual legacy of the ancient Nalanda tradition.
The fellowship was conferred by the Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness The Dalai Lama, which was founded in 1990 with funds from the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to H.H. the Dalai Lama in 1989. According to H.H. the Dalai Lama, the Foundation’s goal is to “respond to issues of human rights, equity, democratic freedoms, and non-violence,” as well as foster interfaith harmony and expand scientific wisdom.
Underpinning that goal, the senior fellowship aims to support senior scholars who have made significant contributions to Buddhist studies and contemplative scholarship. The only scholar outside of India to receive this honor, Dr. Legshe joins a select cohort whose work continues the Nalanda tradition of integrating logic, compassion, and meditative insight with critical scholarship.
Dr. Legshe’s fellowship research, "Nalanda Buddhist Traditions on Meditation: A Psychotherapeutic Approach," will analyze and synthesize Nalanda Buddhist meditative practices to explore developing a psychotherapeutic approach for mental health crises. After nine months of intensive research, the award will culminate in a 40,000-word manuscript and at least two public lectures.
