معرفی
Peter Grossenbacher is a Core Professor in the Department of Contemplative Psychology at Naropa University, where he has been teaching since 2000. He primarily teaches in Naropa's psychology and counseling programs as well as undergraduate core classes. As a Mind & Life Fellow, he offers integrative scientific perspectives on meditation and contemplative education, bridging cognitive neuroscience with contemplative traditions.
His educational background includes:
- PhD in Experimental Psychology, University of Oregon
- MS in Experimental Psychology, University of Oregon
- BA Cognitive Science and Mathematics, University of California, Berkeley (with honors)
Dr. Grossenbacher's research focuses on the intersection of cognitive neuroscience and contemplative practices, particularly meditation. After founding the Consciousness Laboratory in 2001, his work has evolved from early studies on synesthesia and sensory perception to contemporary research on mindfulness, meditation instruction, and the transformation of personal worldview through contemplative practice. His book 'Finding Consciousness in the Brain' offers insights into the brain's involvement in conscious experience. He has published extensively on contemplative cognition, developing frameworks that integrate attention, intention, and awareness as foundational elements of meditative experience.
His scholarly output reveals a consistent trajectory examining consciousness through both empirical neuroscience and contemplative traditions. Early work focused on sensory processing and synesthesia, while more recent publications emphasize contemplative cognition, meditation instruction, and the psychological benefits of mindfulness practices. His research employs diverse methodologies including qualitative analysis of meditation experiences, development of quantitative measures for contemplative states, and theoretical frameworks for understanding attention, intention, and awareness in meditation.
His notable recognition includes:
- Mind & Life Fellow
Dr. Grossenbacher has served in various leadership roles at Naropa University, including co-leading the Academic Affairs Division, serving on the Board of Trustees as Faculty Trustee, chairing the Faculty Senate, and multiple terms as Department Chair. His teaching portfolio includes courses such as Abnormal Psychology, Buddhist Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, and The Science of Contemplative Teaching and Learning. He has been instrumental in developing contemplative pedagogy approaches that integrate mindfulness with traditional academic instruction, training faculty across various settings in these methods.
He directs the Consciousness Laboratory at Naropa University, which conducts research on meditation instruction, personal worldview transformation, and human connectivity. The laboratory serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research bringing together cognitive science, contemplative traditions, and educational innovation, with current projects examining the antecedents and consequences of skilled meditation instruction and developing new quantitative measures of meditative processes.
