Sunday, January 20th
Venue: The Thomas Center, Gainesville
Theme: Connect, Communicate and Collaborate!
Reception and Light Refreshments 8:30 AM
Opening remarks – Joshua Greene, Master of Ceremonies 9:00 AM
MORNING PLENARY 1:
History, Purpose and Future of the Bhaktivedanta Institute by Bob Cohen, Director 9:05 AM
Appreciations of founders: Michael Marchetti, William Deadwyler, Robert Corens, David Webb
Thoudam Damodara Singh, PhD – tribute, by Vrajendrakumar Das, Director of
Bhaktivedanta Institute Kolkata 9:20 AM
Richard L. Thompson, PhD – tribute, by Joshua Greene 9:40 AM
Robert L. Wintermute tribute, by Robert K. Burnside (BBT) 9:55 AM
The BI in Russia – Natalya Antonova, PhD 10:10 AM
Transition to Breakouts – Joshua Greene 10:30 AM
BREAK 10:35-10:50 AM
MORNING PLENARY 2:
Scientific Research from a Gaudiya Vaishnava Perspective 10:50-11:40 AM
Research Projects and Opportunities - Led by Maurcio Garrido, PhD, BIHS
Participants:
Ryan Bissett, PhD, Science-Philosophy initiative (SPi)
Martin Fleming, Science-Philosophy initiative (SPi)
CONCURRENT BREAKOUT 1 11:40 AM-12:30 PM
Breakout A – The Atma Paradigm - a collaboration of science & philosophy to address the big issues:
consciousness, matter, life, the universe.
Co-Moderators: Martin Fleming and Ryan Bissett, PhD
Breakout B – Teaching Science
Moderator: Mauricio Garrido, PhD (Quantum Physics), BIHS and Jonathan Banks, PhD (Geology)
Discussion of Opportunities for Research
LUNCH 12:30-1:30 PM
CONCURRENT BREAKOUT 2 1:30-2:45 PM
Breakout C – Application of Ancient Texts in Research in Archaeology and Biology
Moderator: Michael Cremo, PhD (Honorary) :
"An Insider's View of an Alternative Archaeology"
Participants:
Leif A. Jensen : “Intelligent Design in a Modern Vedic Context”
Rita Jeney, PhD (Archaeology and Indology) : “The ‘lost’ Sarasvati River”
István Tasi, PhD (History) : "Instincts as Mystery in Science"
Breakout D – Vedic Perspectives
Moderator: Dmitry Popov, PhD (Philosophy) :
“Alternative scientific school based on the vedic gnosiology”
Participants:
Natalya Antonova, PhD (Philosophy) : “Maya as a re-creation of Reality”
Yurii Zavhorodnii, Senior Researcher (Skovoroda Institute) :
“Yoga in the Bhagavata Purana”
Christopher Beetle : "Consciousness in the Bhagavad-gita"
Breakout E – Ayurveda and Modern Medicine
Participants
Dr. Valdis Pirags and Dr. Sintija Sausa: “Building a Medical East-West dialogue”
Dr. Venugopal R. Dameria : “Neuro-Cardiac Effects of Audible Mantra Meditation”
David Wolf, PhD. (video presentation)
“Establishing Maha Mantra Japa Chanting as Evidence-Based Practice.”
BREAK 2:45 PM
CONCURRENT BREAKOUT 3 3:00-4:00 PM
Breakout F – Ecology and Dharma
Higher Consciousness, Self-sufficiency and Farm Communities
Discussion of Opportunities for Research
Moderator: Carlos Abílio Fontes de Queiroz
Participants: Chris McNay : “Nourishing the Finer Tissues of the Brain”
Breakout G – Cosmology in the Puranas and Jyotisa Sastra
Moderator: Prishni Sutton
Participants:
Punit Bhalla, BE, Mechanical Engineering : “Mathematical Model of the Cosmos”
Pandu Santhoju, MS, Electrical Engineering :
“Planetary motion presented in Surya Siddhanta”
Jack Dodson, MS, Mathematical Science : TBA
Breakout H – Yoga & Science
Moderator: David Zuckerman, PhD (California State University, Sacramento)
Participants:
Nilesh Oak "Krishna's science of consciousness"
Ricardo Silvestre
Jonathan Edelmann , PhD
PLENARY PRESENTATION on the TOVP 4:00-4:45 PM
“Vedic Planetarium and Museum Exhibits on Elevating Consciousness”
By: Robert Grant and Michael Cremo
Discussion of Opportunites for Research
Concluding Remarks 4:45 - 5:00 PM