Faculty and Staff
Welcome to Nan Tien Institute (NTI), Australia’s first Higher Education Provider with courses grounded in Buddhist wisdom and values. NTI is the place for quality education and cultural exchange. Read more about our academic staff below:
Professor Alistair Noble
President – Nan Tien Institute
Professor Kiley Seymour
Academic Dean
PhD (Psychology) University of Sydney, MSc (Neural & Behavioural Sciences) Max Planck Graduate Research School, University of Tuebingen , Germany, BSc (Biological Sciences) University of Wollongong.
Prof Seymour’s PhD research focused on the neural correlates of consciousness, applying rigorous empirical science to one of the most enduring questions of contemplative traditions. She has since applied her understanding of the brain and mind to important societal challenges in mental health and the ethical impacts of digital technology. Her leadership centres around building interdisciplinary teams and supporting and empowering staff to contribute their unique strengths to a shared vision of excellence.
email: academic.dean@nantien.edu.au
Venerable Associate Professor Juewei
Head of Program (Applied Buddhist Studies & Humanistic Buddhism)
Director (Humanistic Buddhism Centre)
Senior Lecturer
PhD (Religious Studies) University of the West, USA, MA (Buddhist Studies) Tsung-Lin Buddhist College, Taiwan, MBA (Cranfield University) Bedford, UK, MS (Computer Science and Engineering) University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA, BS with highest distinction (Computer Science and Engineering), Honors in Computer Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
email: juewei@nantien.edu.au
office phone: +61 (2) 4258 0724
Dr Nadine Levy
Head of Program (Health and Social Wellbeing, Applied Mindfulness & Mental Health)
Senior Lecturer
PhD (University of Adelaide), BA (Hons) (University of Adelaide), LLB (Hons) (University of Adelaide). Dr Levy holds a PhD in sociology and Honours degrees in both law and gender studies. Her research investigates women’s lived experience across a range of social sites, including health, therapeutic landscapes and spiritual movements. Her PhD examined the themes of belonging, emotions and social connection in the context of Intentional Communities in late modern society.
email: n.levy@nantien.edu.au
office phone: +61 (2) 4258 0752
Dr Elizabeth McDougal
Lecturer (Applied Buddhist Studies)
PhD University of Sydney, MA (Indian Philosophy) Banaras Hindu University
Dr McDougal trained as a Buddhist nun in India and on the Tibetan Plateau for seventeen years. She has taught in the Primary Ethics program (NSW), is a Tibetan-to-English translator for the teachings of a lineage of contemplative nuns and is the co-founder of Gebchak Rigpa Harsey. Dr McDougal is inspired by the transformative learning systems of pre-modern Buddhist traditions and is passionate about adapting contemplative pedagogy in creative ways.
email: e.mcdougal@nantien.edu.au
Sylvia Neubacher
Lecturer (Mental Health)
Sylvia holds a Master of Counselling, and diverse post graduate degrees in counselling, human services, family therapy, teaching and learning. With extensive experience in counseling and supervision as well as leadership roles in higher education, she combines her expertise with a profound interest in the contemplative traditions, particularly Buddhist mindfulness practice and Buddhist psychology which inform her work.
email: s.neubacher@nantien.edu.au
Dr Camille Rouliere
Lecturer (Foundational Programs)
Academic Support Services
Early career researcher Dr Camille Roulière is an Environmental Humanities scholar who was recently awarded a Dean’s Commendation and a University Doctoral Research Medal for her PhD thesis entitled “Visions of Water” (The University of Adelaide). She has held various administrative and research roles, most notably at Flinders University and at the J.M. Coetzee Centre for Creative Practice.
Dr Toby Mendelson
Lecturer (Applied Buddhist Studies)
Dr Toby Mendelson graduated from The University of Melbourne in 2014, completing a PhD on the intersection between Nagarjuna and contemporary political philosophy. He then co-founded Arete House an independent institution specialising in teaching philosophy and the contemplative arts (Asian and western) to the general public. He has also continued to teach widely across the disciplines of philosophy, sociology and Buddhism at Melbourne, WSU, Monash and Deakin.
His Dharma path began in the early 00’s, studying and practising Mahamudra in the Karma Kagyu tradition under the late Traleg Kyabgon and then also Lam Rim and Madhyamaka in the Gelug tradition, under Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
email: t.mendelson@nantien.edu.au
Boards and Committees
Board of Directors
Gawaine Powell Davies (Chair)
Venerable Miaoyou (Flora Lai Mui Chiang), Director/Secretary
Venerable Juening (Hue Gia Trinh), Director
Venerable Manko (Foo Cheh Ng), Director
Ian Craig Buchanan, Director
Professor Wei Shen, Director
Dr Tsong-Min Lin, Director
Professor Alistair Noble, Director
Teejae Keeble, Director
Terri Anderson, Director
Academic Board
Dr Michael Tomlinson (Chair)
Professor Alistair Noble, President
Professor Kiley Seymour, Academic Dean
Venerable Associate Professor Juewei, ABS-HB Head of Program
Dr Nadine Levy, HSW-MH Head of Program
Sylvia Neubacher, MH Lecturer, Academic Integrity Officer
Dr Elizabeth McDougal, ABS Lecturer
Veronika Penberthy-Groves, Director Student Services
Associate Professor Adam Ross Clarke, External member
Associate Professor Tam Ha, External member
Professor Sarah Lawrence, External member
Venerable Miao You, Company Secretary
Dr Andrew Moore, Student representative
ABS-HB Program Advisory Committee
Dr Peter Oldmeadow, External academic expert (Chair)
Professor Alistair Noble, President
Professor Kiley Seymour, Academic Dean
Venerable Associate Professor Juewei, ABS-HB Head of Program
Dr Elizabeth McDougal, ABS Lecturer
Dr Toby Mendelson, ABS Lecturer
Dr Mun-Keat Choong, External academic expert
Associate Professor Funie Hsu, External academic expert
Professor Stefania Travagnin, External academic expert
Professor Janet Hou, Community representative
Jodi Bush, Student representative
Siew Hsiang Chow, Student representative
Benjamin Campbell, Alumni representative
Clair Chang, Alumni representative
Cecelia Manika, Alumni representative
HBC Advisory Committee
Professor Alistair Noble, President
Professor Kiley Seymour, Academic Dean
Venerable Associate Professor Juewei, HBC Director
Dr Toby Mendelson, ABS Lecturer
Dr Elizabeth McDougal, ABS Lecturer
Dr Nadine Levy, HSW-MH Head of Program
Sylvia Neubacher, MH Lecturer
Dr Rodney Vickers, External academic expert
Associate Professor Nicholas Van Dam, External academic expert
Emeritus Professor Lewis Lancaster, External domain expert
Associate Professor Jack Chia, External domain expert
Professor Danny Wong, External domain expert
Venerable Miao Guang, External domain expert
Gawaine Powell Davies, Community representative
HSW-AM Program Advisory Committee
Associate Professor Chris Zaslawski, External academic (Chair)
Professor Alistair Noble, President
Professor Kiley Seymour, Academic Dean
Dr Nadine Levy, HSW-MH Head of Program
Sue Dean, External academic expert
Zoe Zohs, Community representative
Ashleigh West, Student representative
Niki Hall, Alumni representative
MH Program Advisory Committee
Professor Alistair Noble, President
Professor Kiley Seymour, Academic Dean
Dr Nadine Levy, HSW-MH Head of Program
Kim van Dijk, MH Lecturer
Dr Anita Milicevic, External academic expert
Scott Abbott, Special advisor
Dr Rebecca Millar, ACMHN representative
Martin Ström, Health professional representative
Indira Sharma, Student representative
Darren Wagner, Alumni representative