The science workshops are an ongoing partnership between the Sager Family Foundation and the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. The program provides professional development opportunities in science education to a select group of monastic scholars identified as future leaders within their home monasteries. Hands-on interactive learning/teaching experiences focus on topics of common interest to both Buddhism and science, and the development of skills needed to generate meaningful dialogues between these two rich traditions.

Since 2000, annual science workshops have been conducted to catalyze science education within the monasteries. Participants spend a major portion of each day intellectually engaged in scientific inquiry, and interactive lectures afford opportunities to develop scientific understanding. Monks within the program are frequently invited to share their ideas and provide a counterpoint on workshop topics from a Buddhist philosophical viewpoint.

Turning point

After LTWA's collaboration with Emory University and with the commitment to develop and implement a long-term science curriculum in monasteries has changed the focus of the Sager foundation science for monk's workshop. From the year 2008 onwards it will work stress more on professional development of monks as teachers and leaders of the science education within the monasteries. In general monks will follow the Emory curriculum to learn science in the monasteries and Bobby Sager foundation will support the teacher training of monk leaders, who will feedback into the Emory program. The future workshop will be attended entirely by Geshes (monastic equivalent of PhD).
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