Peter Grossenbacher, PhD

Peter G. Grossenbacher, PhD, teaches primarily in Naropa’s psychology and counseling programs, as well as in undergraduate core classes. A Mind & Life Fellow, he offers integrative scientific perspectives on meditation and contemplative education. Peter started meditating in 1980, and teaches meditation at Naropa, in NeuroDharma retreats with Rick Hanson, and other settings.

After graduating with honors from U.C. Berkeley in cognitive science and mathematics, he worked at Stanford Medical School in brain imaging research. He trained in cognitive neuroscience and earned his doctorate in experimental psychology at the University of Oregon. His book, Finding Consciousness in the Brain, offers insights into the brain’s involvement in conscious experience.

After years conducting original research on attention and perception at the University of Cambridge and the National Institute of Mental Health, Dr. Grossenbacher joined the Naropa faculty in 2000. His research and teaching has focused on the science of contemplative teaching and learning, and he also trains faculty in contemplative pedagogy across a variety of settings. Since founding the Consciousness Laboratory in 2001, he directs programs of research on meditative development, the teaching of meditation, and experiences of connection and disconnection. His work has been covered by the New York Times, Smithsonian Magazine, Discover Magazine, as well as numerous radio interviews and newspaper articles.