Showcasing contemplative studies on the global stage

CSC academics present the latest meditation research at two conferences in the USA.

On 26–27 September, Associate Professor Nicholas Van Dam and PhD candidate Nick Bowles attended the Tiny Blue Dot Foundation’s (TBD) annual summit in Santa Monica, California. The Foundation supports innovative research into how our “perception box,” or mental filter of biases, beliefs and narratives, shapes how we experience the world, and aims to help people expand these filters for greater self-awareness, connection and wellbeing. Nicholas presented an update on the Centre’s TBD-funded research project exploring how meditation practices evolve over time and their impact on health and wellbeing. The event afforded the CSC an exciting opportunity to showcase our work to leading researchers, clinicians, policymakers and entrepreneurs from around the world.

Research Assistant Luara Karlson-Carp represented the Contemplative Studies Centre at the 50th annual Society for the Social Studies of Science conference in Seattle, USA on 3-6 September. Luara presented a research project developed with Associate Professor Ana Eclair and Dr Julieta Galante exploring how everyday meditators experience kindness and compassion meditation through digital apps. The paper sparked lively discussion among an interdisciplinary audience, connecting insights from feminist anthropology, science and technology studies, and ethnographic research, and demonstrated the potential for contemplative studies to inform broader conversations about technology, care and human connection.