The California Buddhist Studies Graduate Student Conference will take place at the Luskin Center at the University of California, Los Angeles from October 10 to 12, 2025.

The graduate student planning committee is currently inviting applications for graduate students from California-based institutions to present their research. Students and faculty members from UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, UC Riverside, UC Berkeley, Stanford, and others will be available to provide feedback to presenters throughout the conference.

We welcome all forms of draft papers intended for prospectuses, journal publications, or dissertation chapters that engage with topics related to either historical or contemporary traditions of Buddhism. We accept a variety of fields of inquiry, which may include but are not limited to literature, linguistics, history, art history, philosophy, and other related humanities fields. All proposals to present research at the conference must be submitted by Aug. 1, 2025.

This conference serves as a forum through which graduate students and faculty can engage in dialogues that contribute to the further growth of Buddhist Studies. Above all, participants will have the opportunity to expand their academic perspectives and forge new professional relationships.

There is no cost for conference registration or meals for registration. We ask the students to ask their respective Californian institutions about travel and accommodation costs.

For inquiries, please email the organizers at Yuxuan Tay (yuxuantay@g.ucla.edu), Fan Wu (fwu069@ucr.edu), or Guanrui Gong (guanruigong@g.ucla.edu).

To apply, please submit a 250-word abstract and a 100-word short bio to the online application form by August 1, 2025. Successful applicants will be notified of acceptance by the end of August 2025. Participants must submit a full draft paper two weeks before the conference date.

Apply at this link: Application Form

Please fill out the registration form if you plan to attend, participate in, or present your research the conference.

Register at this link: Registration Form

Tentative Schedule:

 

Friday, Oct. 10

• 2:00 pm         Arrival and Registration
• 3:30–5:30      Panel One
• 6:00–7:30      Dinner

Saturday, Oct. 12

• 9:00–11:00    Panel Two
• 10:30–11:00  Coffee Break
• 11:30–1:00    Library Special Collections Visit
• 1:00–2:30      Lunch
• 2:30–4:30      Panel Three
• 4:30–5:30      Happy Hour

Sunday, Oct. 11

• 9:00–11:00     Panel Four
• 11:00–11:30   Wrap Up
• 11:30–1:00     Lunch

Arrangements for accommodation at the Luskin Center have been made by the UCLA Center for Buddhist Studies, though accommodation will be funded by individuals or their institutions. To make accommodations at the Luskin Center with the conference rate, please follow this link:

California Buddhist Studies Graduate