ACLS Awards 2023 Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Buddhism Public Scholars

The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is pleased to name Jesse Drian and Dessislava Vendova as 2023 Buddhism Public Scholars. This program is part of the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies, administered by ACLS.

The Buddhism Public Scholars Program places early-career PhDs in Buddhist Studies in one- to two-year professional positions with leading museums, publications, and libraries that study the traditions of Buddhism. Starting September 2023, Jesse Drian will join the Richard C. Rudolph East Asian Library at the University of California, Los Angeles and Dessislava Vendova will work with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. These 2023 Buddhism Public Scholars will use their academic knowledge and professional experience to strengthen the capacity of their host organizations in Buddhist art and thought across all traditions and regions in which Buddhism is practiced.

“ACLS, along with The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Global, is committed to the circulation of humanistic knowledge and methods beyond the academy,” said Deena Ragavan, ACLS Senior Program Officer for International Programs. “We are thrilled to support these impressive new Buddhism Public Scholars, whose work in Boston and Los Angeles will increase public understanding of Buddhist art and ideas.”

“The Richard C. Rudolph East Asian Library looks forward to working with the Buddhism Public Scholars Program to better enable our extensive Buddhist Studies collections for public and scholarly use,” said Su Chen, Head Librarian, Richard C. Rudolph East Asian Library. “In cooperation with the Center for Buddhist Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Dr. Drian will lead a crucial effort to explore, interpret, and document the collection in order to make it more accessible to teachers, students, Buddhist congregations, and community members.”

The new Buddhism Public Scholars join one institution and twenty other scholars awarded 2023 fellowships and grants as part of The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies.

The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies will launch fellowship and grant competitions for the 2024/25 academic year in August 2023. Sign up for alerts.