Faculty
RYI’s faculty is an inspiring mix of khenpos and lopons from the Tibetan monastic tradition, PhD faculty from the Western academic tradition, experienced language teachers (both native speakers and international instructors), and interpreters from Tibetan into English. Each year, RYI hosts visiting faculty from international universities who teach for a semester or an academic year.
RYI’s PhD faculty come to us from Oxford University, University of Chicago, McGill University and Université Laval. RYI’s monastic faculty studied at the Sangye Yeshe Monastic College and the Ngagyur Nyingma University. Past faculty and visiting faculty have come from a variety of schools, including Harvard University, Emory University, Université de Lausanne, Boston College, University of Vienna, University of Hamburg, McGill University, Agnes Scott College, Williams College, and Humboldt State University (USA).
RYI faculty are dedicated to helping students to master the fundamentals and then challenge themselves with more rigorous academic demands. Critical thinking, thoughtful reflection, academic writing, contextualization, and analytical skills are all encouraged and cultivated.
Joanne Larson
Director of Programs
Khenpo Gyaltsen
Senior Monastic Professor
Greg Sharkey
Associate Professor
John Dunne
Senior Academic Advisor
Khenpo Karma Gyurme
Senior Monastic Professor
Kashinath Nyaupane
Sanskrit Instructor
Andreas Doctor
Senior Academic Advisor
Khenpo Tsondru Sangpo
Senior Monastic Professor
Pavitra Paudyal
Nepali Language Instructor
Thomas Doctor
Senior Academic Advisor
Khenpo Urgyen Tenpel
Senior Monastic Professor
Tenzin Phuntsok
Tibetan Instructor
John Makransky
Senior Academic Advisor
Ngawang Choegyal
Tibetan Instructor
Philippe Turenne
Senior Academic Advisor
Neela Sharma Bastola
Sanskrit Instructor
Karin Meyers
Senior Academic Advisor
James Gentry
Senior Academic Advisor