Two UVA Faculty Members Win Prestigious Grants in Buddhist Studies

University of Virginia faculty members, Natasha Heller, associate professor of religious studies, and Patricia Nguyen, assistant professor of American studies, have received two of only six inaugural Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Public Impact Grants in Buddhist studies, an international honor that recognizes projects bringing Buddhist scholarship to broader audiences.  

Administered by the American Council of Learned Societies, the $50,000 grants support projects that connect Buddhist scholarship with broader public audiences.

The recognition reflects UVA's longstanding prominence in Buddhist studies. The University established one of North America's earliest doctoral programs in the field, and for more than 50 years its faculty have helped shape Buddhist studies through influential scholarship, international collaborations and the training of generations of scholars.

"These ACLS Ho Family Foundation grants place Heller and Nguyen in a selective, genuinely global cohort of scholars shaping the next generation of Buddhist studies,” said Willis Jenkins, Arts & Sciences’ associate dean for the arts and humanities. “That there were two grants awarded to faculty from UVA reflects our longstanding strength in the study of Buddhism and represents a unique opportunity for interdisciplinary advances, as they engage researchers from across fields and departments.”

Storytelling and the Environment

Heller’s project, “Buddhist Environmental Storytelling: A Workshop,” will bring scholars, writers and practitioners together at Morven, UVA’s 2,900-acre experiential learning and sustainability campus in Albemarle County, to explore how Buddhist traditions can help people think differently about environmental challenges.

Developed in collaboration with award-winning environmental writer and literary critic Kerri Arsenault, the four-day studio planned for early June 2027 will explore ways to make scholarship on Buddhist environmentalism and the ethics of cross-species care accessible to new readers.

“Both the environmental dimension and the opportunity to expand audiences for scholarship matter a good deal to me,” Heller said. “I'm looking forward to learning from workshop participants and helping their stories reach broader audiences.”

Bringing Rare Documents to New Audiences

Nguyen’s project, “Breathing Through Time: Thích Nhất Hạnh's Interactive Archive,” will explore rare letters, writings, poetry and journals from the 1950s and 1960s to trace the development of the renowned Zen master's philosophy of Engaged Buddhism, a modern movement that applies Buddhist teachings and practices to social, political, environmental and humanitarian problems.

Nguyen will draw on unpublished archival materials preserved in monastic and private collections to create digital, educational and experiential resources for scholars, practitioners, families and young learners.

“This award will allow me to deepen my scholarship and creative practice by delving into the historical and philosophical significance of Engaged Buddhism,” Nguyen said. “I also hope to collaborate with the Institute of the Humanities and Global Cultures, the Departments of American Studies and Religious Studies, and the Contemplative Sciences Center to share this research through creative workshops and presentations.”