KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Prof. Jon Kabat-Zinn
Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D. did his doctoral work in molecular biology at MIT in the laboratory of the Nobel Laureate, Salvador Luria. Jon is Professor of Medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where he founded the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society (in 1995), and (in 1979) its world-renown Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Clinic. He is the author of 15 books, including the bestsellers Full Catastrophe Living, Wherever You Go, There You Are, and Mindfulness for Beginners. His books are published in over 45 languages. His work has contributed to a growing movement of mindfulness into mainstream institutions such as medicine, psychology, health care, neuroscience, schools, higher education, business, social justice, criminal justice, prisons, the law, technology, government, and professional sports. Over 700 hospitals and medical centers around the world now offer MBSR. Jon lectures and leads mindfulness workshops and retreats around the world and online. His website is https://www.jonkabat-zinn.com .
Prof. Christian A. Klöckner
Prof. Dr. Christian A. Klöckner is an environmental psychologist at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. He leads the research group for “Citizen, Environment, and Safety”. His personal research interest are modelling of environmentally relevant decisions and behaviour in the social and structural context, innovative environmental communication methods, societal disruption and transition, and psychological trade-offs in sustainability issues.
Prof. William Van Gordon
Dr. William Van Gordon is a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Professor of Contemplative Psychology at the University of Derby (UK), where he also Chairs the School of Psychology Research Committee. He is internationally recognised for advancing the Contemplative Psychology research agenda, to which he has contributed 100+ peer-reviewed papers. With 250+ appearances in TV, Radio and print news outlets within the last 5 years alone, he plays an important role as a science communicator for Contemplative Psychology, to explicate the discipline’s relevance to societal and environmental challenges. Prior to joining academia, William was a Buddhist monk for 10 years and previously worked in senior management roles for several blue-chip companies. William writes a regular blog on Contemplative Psychology for Psychology Today and is author of The Way of the Mindful Warrior.
Prof. Florian G. Kaiser
Florian G. Kaiser is professor of personality and social psychology at the Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany. His research interests include attitude theory, the Campbell paradigm, large-scale attitude change and behavior management. Topics of interest are: environment and climate protection, environmental policy support, and sustainable development. He has published almost 100 articles in refereed journals. He is on the editorial board of Environment & Behavior and was 2017-2018 Co-Chief Editor of the Journal of Environmental Psychology.
Prof. Marieke van Vugt
Marieke van Vugt is an assistant professor at the Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Engineering (ALICE) of the University of Groningen (Netherlands). The research in Dr. van Vugt's lab focuses on how, when and why we mind-wander, and what the fundamental cognitive operations are that underlie meditation and mindfulness. Most recently, she started to investigate how analytical meditation practiced by Tibetan monks and nuns affects cognition and emotion. She addresses these questions using a combination of computational modeling, neuroscience, and experimental psychology tools. She very much enjoys projects were science, art (particularly classical ballet), and contemplation meet.
Liane Stephan
Liane Stephan is the co-founder and co-director of awaris GmbH, a global organization providing evidence- and mindfulness-based interventions in the corporate world, and the Inner Green Deal, a non-profit organization that brings the inner dimension of sustainability to diverse communities. In addition to her MA in Sports Science and Sport Psychology, Liane has studied contemplative methods as well as diverse somatic approaches throughout her adult life. She has 40 years of experience as a consultant in coaching, leadership development, organizational change and systems thinking. For the past 4 years she has been bringing her expertise in the inner human dimension of sustainability to the EU, UNDP and private organizations, together with her co-founder Jeroen Janss. The Inner Green Deal is closely linked to the work of Christine Wamsler at Lund University.
Dr. Jamie Bristow
Jamie Bristow is a leading expert on the application of inner development and contemplative practices in public life. His work includes influential policy reports such as Reconnection: Meeting the Climate Crisis Inside Out, and he currently leads on public narrative and policy development for the Inner Development Goals, emphasising the inner skills and qualities needed for a sustainable transition. For eight years, from 2015 to 2023, Jamie played an instrumental role in the UK's All-Party Parliamentary Group on Mindfulness, acting as its clerk and serving as Director of the associated policy institute, The Mindfulness Initiative. During this time he worked with legislators around the world to make mindfulness and compassion training serious matters of public policy and catalysts for a healthier political process. He now retains a part-time position with The Mindfulness Initiative leading on sustainability policy. Jamie's earlier roles included being the Business Development Director at Headspace, and his rich background encompasses psychology, climate change campaigning, and advertising. Trained to teach Insight Meditation—a Buddhist tradition associated with Gaia House, IMS, and Spirit Rock retreat centres—his mentors have included Rob Burbea, Stephen Batchelor, and Christina Feldman. His teachings and work reflect a deep commitment to both personal and societal transformation.
Dr. Ute Thiermann
Dr. Ute Thiermann is a social scientist with a Master’s in Environmental Technology and a PhD in Environmental Research from Imperial College London, UK. Her research focuses on the link between mindfulness and pro-environmental behaviours, and more broadly, on finding innovative strategies that could enable the sustainable transformation of our society. Ute also is a trained yoga teacher and likes to blend mindfulness and classical hatha yoga. Currently, Ute is based in Berlin where she is looking for new opportunities to grow her research and to extend her work in this area.
Dr. Pascal Frank
Dr. Pascal Frank is assistant professor for "Teaching and learning for the development and unfolding of human potential for sustainability" at Wageningen University and Research. He has dedicated a major part of his research and teaching to the question of how mindfulness practice affects learners' sustainability-related learning and decision-making. He contributed to several research projects and publications addressing this question, and has extensively taught mindfulness-based practices in classrooms. In addition, Pascal is a certified Iyengar Yoga and Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher.
Prof. Simone Grassini
Simone Grassini works as an Associate Professor at the University of Bergen and the University of Stavanger (Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience LAB.) in Norway, where he studies the relationship between humans and their surroundings with methods from both psychology and neurosciences. His research examines how natural and artificial environments affect human thought processes and emotions. He is interested in designing environments that encourage sustainable behavior and promote well-being. Grassini's research has been published in reputable academic journals, showcasing his dedication to advancing the field of psychology.