Mind & Life Europe Francisco Varela Award (EVA)

In January 2019, seven research projects were awarded a Mind & Life Europe Francisco Varela Award (EVA). Congratulations to CAGE PhD student Anthony Tuckwell on receiving this award. The award will support work he is doing on the economic and behavioural effects of mindfulness with his PhD supervisor Daniel Sgroi (who is also leader of Theme 3 of CAGE), Elliott Ash (who is based at Zurich) and his fellow Warwick PhD student Shi Zhuo.

The EVA 2018 awardees are:
Corina Aguilar-Raab (Germany)
Filip Van Droogenbroeck (Belgium)
Mike Keesman (The Netherlands)
Heather McDonald (United Kingdom)
Ciaran Tobin (United Kingdom)
Anthony Tuckwell (United Kingdom)
Sebastjan Vörös (Slovenia)

Varela Grants

Named after the neuroscientist and philosopher Francisco J. Varela, The Mind & Life Francisco J. Varela Grants (Varela Grants) have been an important and integral component of Mind & Life’s support of contemplative scientists and scholars. Francisco believed that contemplative training offers modern science novel methods for investigating human experience. In his vision, contemplative training not only provides a new domain for scientific study, but it also – and more importantly – offers resources for advancing scientific theories and models of cognition, emotion, and consciousness.

The Varela Grants were established in 2004 as a companion program to the Mind & Life Summer Research Institutes (MLSRI)Link opens in a new window and have been a critical element in supporting the development of Contemplative Science and Contemplative Studies. Since the introduction of the European Summer Research Institutes (ESRI) in 2014, Mind & Life Europe has been supporting the young generation of contemplative researchers with the European Varela Awards.