معرفی
William A. McGrath is the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Assistant Professor of Buddhist Studies in the Department of Religious Studies at New York University. Previously, he served as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Manhattan College (2018-2021) and Coe College (2017-2018). His academic journey began with a B.Sc. in Biochemistry from the University of Virginia in 2007, followed by an M.A. (2015) and Ph.D. (2017) in the History of Religions focusing on Tibetan and Chinese religions.
His educational background includes:
- Ph.D. in History of Religions, University of Virginia (2017)
- M.A. in History of Religions, University of Virginia (2015)
- B.Sc. in Biochemistry, University of Virginia (2007)
McGrath specializes in Tibetan and Chinese languages, religions, medicines, and histories, with particular expertise in Tibetan Buddhist medicine. His research bridges religious studies and medical history, examining how Buddhist traditions interacted with medical practices across Eurasia. He has conducted extensive fieldwork in China, accumulating five years of research experience across various institutions including the Nationalities of Northern China Translation Institute and the Tibetan and Himalayan Library.
His scholarly work reveals a consistent focus on the intersection of religion and medicine in Tibetan contexts, with particular attention to historical epidemics, surgical practices, diagnostic techniques, and the transmission of medical knowledge. McGrath's publications demonstrate an interdisciplinary approach that combines textual analysis with historical and anthropological perspectives on Asian medicine.
Among his notable recognitions:
- Robert H. N. Ho Program in Buddhist Studies Dissertation Fellowship (2016–2017)
- Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Award (2015–2016)
- Blakemore Freeman Fellowship (2012–2013)
- Multiple Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Awards
McGrath actively contributes to academic service as a Steering Committee Member of the Religions, Medicines, and Healing Unit of the American Academy of Religion (2019–2024) and as Editor for Central Asia and Himalayan Region for Asian Medicine journal (2019–present). He has also edited the significant volume Knowledge and Context in Tibetan Medicine (Brill, 2019), which explores representations and transformations of medical concepts across historical and cultural contexts.
His linguistic expertise encompasses classical and modern Chinese and Tibetan languages, with reading proficiency in Japanese and French, enabling him to work directly with primary sources across multiple Asian traditions.
