Dr. Renée Ford

Renée holds a BFA in ballet from the University of Cincinnati, an MA from Naropa University, and a PhD from Rice University. She has taught courses in Tibetan language, Buddhist art and literature, and Asian religions at Rice University and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Her academic interests focus on the intersections between textual and subjective experiences of devotion and faith in Tibetan Buddhist contemplative practices. Her dissertation examines how devotion (mos gus), faith (dad pa), and awakened mind (byang chub kyi sems) function philosophically and epistemologically and in contemplative practices for the Nyingma (rnying ma) Tibetan Buddhist tradition.

Renée’s academic education is accompanied by over a decade of Tibetan language training. Her dissertation includes translations of two different texts by the Third Dodrupchen, Instructions on Guru Yoga and A Staircase that Leads to Lotus Light. She hopes to continue her Tibetan language and translation training to contribute to the Khyentse Vision Project.

In addition to spending time with her two children, Wyatt and Everett, Renée enjoys swimming and biking in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains or hopping on planes for faraway destinations.