Alex Grabiner, M.A.R.
Alex Grabiner has been awarded a 2025 Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Dissertation Fellowship in Buddhist Studies.
Grabiner is one of 10 scholars at universities in Canada, Germany, Japan, and the United States who have been awarded up to $40,000 each for dissertation fieldwork, archival research, and writing. This program is made possible by a grant from The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Global and administered by the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS).
Grabiner’s research reveals the Buddhist self-understanding that volunteers of the Tzu Chi Foundation draw on to describe, define, and direct their religious participation in seemingly secular, inescapably modern activities.
“The twelfth cohort of The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies exemplifies how contemporary Buddhist Studies scholarship can bridge historical understanding with present-day challenges,” said Deena Ragavan, ACLS Director of International Programs. “These impressive fellows and grantees demonstrate a commitment to bringing new perspectives on Buddhist traditions, thought, and philosophy, grounded in rigorous research.”
The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies promotes the understanding and interpretation of Buddhist thought in scholarship and society, strengthens international networks of Buddhist scholars, and increases the visibility of new knowledge and research on Buddhist traditions.