Dr Nicholas Van Dam
Clinical psychologist, Neuroscientist, & Senior Lecturer, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences; Deputy Director, Clinical Neuroscience Translation GroupPresenting in Adelaide & Melbourne
Keynote Presentation: Mindfulness in education: A critical examination of recent findings
Recent years have seen an acceleration of research into the implementation of mindfulness and related practices in school settings. Despite widespread enthusiasm and embrace of mindfulness as a potential universal wellbeing intervention in schools, a growing pool of research findings justify a cautious and more nuanced approach. This presentation will look at the most up to date research findings on mindfulness—for both students and their teachers—and unpack the implications for school leaders, wellbeing staff, and teachers. We will identify the key questions to ask when considering the implementation of mindfulness practices, and present central challenges and practical considerations that schools must face, drawing on a range of international research, as well as studies conducted by researchers at the Contemplative Studies Centre at the University of Melbourne.
Associate Professor Nicholas Van Dam
Associate Professor Nicholas Van Dam is the inaugural Director of the Contemplative Studies Centre. Nicholas is a highly regarded global leader in contemplative research and practice with a strong commitment to interdisciplinary dialogue and empirical rigour. His research explores the ways that meditation and mindfulness practices can support wellbeing, in pursuit of a better understanding of the human condition. He completed a PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University at Albany, SUNY (USA), and worked at New York University, the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, and the Ichan School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, prior to joining the University of Melbourne. Associate Professor Nicholas Van Dam is the inaugural Director of the Contemplative Studies Centre in the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences at the University of Melbourne. His vision for the Contemplative Studies Centre reflects a desire for inclusivity, authenticity, integrity, and excellence, embedded within a rigorous ethical framework to ensure retention of the ethos of contemplative practices while simultaneously promoting their empirical study.