Tom Culham coming to Seattle
Tom Culham, Coming to Seattle ready to explore Ethics at the work place and Leadership Ethos, What a joy it will be to here his perspective on decision making and the tools he has found work best and sit best with self and company, Here is some deeper insight into the person he is, what he has accomplished, and what draws him in.
An Engineer's Journey from Logical Positivism to Daoist Mystical Science.
I grew up in a family where emotions were banned and logic prevailed. I followed in the footsteps of my father, studied and practiced engineering but always felt that something was missing from my education and life. This lack was the impetus for my philosophical and personal exploration culminating in a return to university later in life where I completed a degree in Philosophy of Education in 2012 at Simon Fraser University Vancouver. My senior supervisor said the program was philosophy as a lived experience rather than an intellectual reasoning exercise. This is where I learned that stories and life were not disembodied from thought and where I was able to learn more deeply about Daoism which emphasizes personal experience in the context of a deep meditative practice as the most important source of knowledge. My studies culminated in the publication of Ethics Education of Business Leaders and a journey of teaching and research that set students on a path of being scientists of themselves through meditation, cognitive behavior practice, and introspection. I will talk about my journey and the insights gained through my lived experience and research on the applicability of Daoist practice and thinking to ethics, teaching, research and everyday life.
Biography
Tom Culham, an engineer and formerly vice president of a trade association, and forest products manufacturing executive shifted his life and work focus to practicing, researching and applying the contemplative aspects of ancient wisdom traditions in contemporary education. His Ph. D thesis (2012) Ethics Education of Business Leaders, published as a book received positive reviews in Canada’s National Post newspaper and peer reviewed journals. It draws on: neuroscience, psychology, virtue ethics, Daoist contemplative practices, and leadership education emphasizing emotional intelligence. Tom with Jing Lin and Rebecca Oxford coedited, the book Toward a Spiritual Research Paradigm: Exploring New Ways of Knowing, Researching and Being. He is currently leading qualitative and quantitative action research involving over 300 business students to evaluate the effectiveness of business ethics education that incorporates contemplative practices. Tom is dedicated to conceptual and action research focused on advancing holistic education of body, emotion, mind and spirit. He believes that research is vital to advancing awareness of and implementation of holistic education as a means of transforming the world to a sustainable peace. Tom is currently, Professor School of Management City University and visiting lecturer at Beedie School of Business Simon Fraser University.
Books
Lin, J., Culham, T., Edwards, S. (Forthcoming, 2019) (Eds.) Contemplative Pedagogies for Transformative Teaching, Learning, and Being. In J. Lin, R. Oxford, (Eds.) Book Series: Transforming Education for the Future. Charlotte: Information Age Publishing.
Lin, J., Culham, T., Oxford, R., (2016) (Eds.) of Toward a Spiritual Research Paradigm: Exploring New Ways of Knowing, Researching and Being. In J. Lin, R. Oxford, (Eds.) Book Series: Transforming Education for the Future. Charlotte: Information Age Publishing.
Culham, T., (2013), Ethics education of business leaders: Emotional intelligence, virtues and contemplative learning. In J. Lin, R. Oxford, (Eds.) Book Series: Transforming Education for the Future. Charlotte: Information Age Publishing.
Online Publications
Is it Good for you to be Good, The Conversation, August 2018, https://theconversation.com/is-it-good-for-you-to-be-good-97231
The Many Benefits of Meditation in the Classroom, The Conversation, May 2018
https://theconversation.com/the-many-benefits-of-meditation-in-the-classroom-94566
Book review by Jane MacDougall, Tao of the MBA — the case for making business students learn to meditate. The National Post, November 22nd 2013. https://nationalpost.com/life/jane-macdougall-tao-of-the-mba-the-case-for-making-business-students-learn-to-meditate.