Institute of Buddhist Studies Appoints Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad as Research Fellow
The Institute of Buddhist Studies (IBS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad as Research Fellow, effective July 1, 2026. Dr. Vesely-Flad is a nationally recognized scholar whose work stands at the intersection of Buddhist studies, Black liberation theology, and social ethics.
“I am thrilled to join the Institute of Buddhist Studies, an institution that is strongly aligned with my commitment to expanding Buddhist ethics,” Dr. Vesely-Flad said. “The seminary’s orientation towards teaching classical Buddhist studies in a way that honors historical texts as well as responds to contemporary social challenges is deeply compelling to me. I am drawn to the ethos of the administration and the faculty as they live out Buddhist ethics in their interpersonal dynamics and am glad to join a community with such integrity.”
Dr. Vesely-Flad is the Founding Director of the Initiative for Black Buddhist Studies. She is the author of three books and several academic articles on Buddhism and Black culture, as well as religious approaches to systemic violence. She has twice been awarded a Department of State Fulbright Scholarship, as a post-graduate student in South Africa and as a faculty member in Ghana, and is also the recipient of grants from the Fetzer Institute, the Henry J. Luce Foundation, the Frederick Lenz Foundation, and the Crossroads Program. For several years, she taught college-level courses at Sing Sing Prison, Sarah Lawrence College, and Warren Wilson College, as well as graduate classes at Union Theological Seminary.
IBS’s Dean, Rev. Dr. Takashi Miyaji said: “The Institute of Buddhist Studies welcomes a remarkable scholar, Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad. Her groundbreaking work, which bridges Buddhism and Black Studies, as well as social ethics, offers new ways to expand dialogue between the wider American audience and the IBS community. We look forward to richer, more inclusive dialogues that honor the full breadth of American Buddhism and help light the way toward greater understanding.”
In her role as Research Fellow, Dr. Vesely-Flad will host an online public conversation series in the upcoming academic year. The series, exploring the patterns of erasure and opportunities for collective presence in the landscape of American Buddhism, will bring together Black and Asian/Asian Pacific American Buddhist scholar-practitioners in dialogue. Across six sessions, the series will feature IBS faculty, alumni, and members of the broader IBS community, and is designed to serve both general and academic audiences as well as IBS alumni working as ministers, chaplains, and community leaders.
Dr. Vesely-Flad’s appointment deepens IBS’s commitment to socially engaged Buddhist scholarship and to fostering research that connects contemplative traditions with urgent questions of justice, liberation, and human dignity.
IBS President Scott Mitchell said: “Dr. Vesely-Flad brings a critical eye and deep commitment to the study and practice of the Buddhadharma in its American context. We’re all looking forward to learning with her in the months ahead as IBS continues to be a pioneer in the study of American Buddhism.”
About the Institute of Buddhist Studies
The Institute of Buddhist Studies is an accredited graduate school located in Berkeley, California, affiliated with the Graduate Theological Union. IBS offers master’s degrees and certificate programs in Buddhist studies, chaplaincy, and ministry, and is dedicated to advancing scholarship that bridges academic inquiry with lived Buddhist traditions.