ACLS Grants Bridge the Gap Between Buddhist Scholarship and Public Life

The selected initiatives span a wide range of academic and community-focused efforts. Beyond the architectural restoration of 15 Kankani chorten in Zanskar, the grant cycle funds a podcast examining the historical influence of Asian American Buddhists, a public workshop dedicated to environmental storytelling, and an interactive archive housing the works of Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh. Other recipients include a project focused on Buddhist biographies in Tibet and a translation initiative designed for direct collaboration with local communities of practice.

Daphne Weber, Program Officer for Buddhist Studies at the ACLS, noted that the projects reflect a growing demand for scholarship that transcends traditional academic boundaries. By partnering with monastics, librarians, and local craftsmen, these grantees move research out of university libraries and into the public sphere. The awards coincide with the centennial of the ACLS, a federation of 86 scholarly organizations that continues to position academic research as a vital public utility. These recipients join 18 individual scholars and one institution previously recognized under the broader Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation program, which aims to strengthen global networks of Buddhist research.