Before entering the Buddhist monastic order in 2010, Ven. Sagarananda Tien was a research assistant professor at Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University, a licensed environmental engineer at an international engineering consulting company, and a NASA Earth System Science research fellow. He earned his Master and PhD degrees in Agricultural and Biological Engineering in the United States.
He was born in Taipei, Taiwan to a Christian family. He became a novice monk in 2010 and later on received his full ordination in 2012. Although he was ordained in Theravada tradition, he considers himself a non-sectarian Buddhist monk living in the modern society. Other than his devotion in learning and practicing mediation and propagating the Buddhist teachings, he is interested in interfaith dialogue, non-profit organization development, photography, Chinese, calligraphy, art, and travel.
Ven. Sagarananda is Vice President of Buddha’s Wisdom Association and Secretary of US Zen Institute in Germantown, MD.