Education

• PhD Religious Studies, University of Virginia, May 2015 (expected)
• MA Religious Studies, University of Virginia, 2009
• MA Tibetan Buddhism, Chung-Hwa Institute of Buddhist Studies, Taiwan, 2007
• BA Finance, National Central University, Taiwan, 2003

Dissertation

Compassion and Transformation in Meditation: The Life and Collected Works of Tibetan Buddhist Master Tokmé Zangpo (1295-1369)

Research Interests

Gloria Chien is a PhD candidate in the University of Virginia’s History of Religions Program. After obtaining her bachelor’s degree in finance, she switched fields and completed a master’s thesis at the Chuang-hua Institute of Buddhist Studies at Dharma Drum Mountain in Taiwan. Her dissertation explores Tibetan Lojong (mind training) meditation practice through investigation of the life and works of Tibetan scholar Tokmé Zangpo (1295-1369). Gloria is also interested in how Lojong practice can change a practitioner’s cognition, emotions, awareness of his or her own mental state, and ethical concern for others.

Teaching

SOLE INSTRUCTOR

University of Virginia, Summer Session

• Introduction to Buddhism (Summer 2014)

College of William & Mary, Religious Studies

• History of Religion in East Asia (Spring 2014)

University of Virginia, East Asian Language, Literature and Culture

• Advanced Chinese Language (Fall 2011)
• Intermediate Chinese Language (Spring 2008)
• Elementary Chinese Language (Fall 2007)

TEACHING ASSISTANT

University of Virginia, Department of Religious Studies

• Introduction to Buddhism (Spring 2011)
• Zen Buddhism (Fall 2010, Spring 2014)

University of Virginia, Summer Language Institute

• Chinese Summer Program (Summer 2008)