DR FRANK M. TEDESCO

Frank was born in 1946 in New York, USA, to second generation Italian -American parents, themselves children of descendants born for many generations in a small hamlet in western Sicily. He holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of California, Berkeley (1971), M.A. in Religious Studies from the University of Lancaster, UK (1974), and a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from Dongguk University, Korea. (1998). He has also undertaken doctoral research in medical anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania (1975-80), and completed a psychiatric residency in Anthropology as a practicum in transcultural psychiatry at the Hahnemann Medical School in Philadelphia between 1975-1977. He is well-known for his research on the social and religious dimensions of Buddhism and the practice of abortion in Korea, as well as social engaged Buddhism in general and contemporary inter-religious affairs.

Frank has served as Visiting Professor of Korean Studies at the Academy of Korean Studies, Seongnam, South Korea, and as a lecturer in Asian Studies at the University of Maryland, Asian Division. He has also held various professorships at Sejong University, Dankook University and Yeungnam University in South Korea. Frank was Consulting Editor of Korea Journal (1988-1991) and editor of the World Fellowship of Buddhists 40th Anniversary Souvenir Volumes (1990) and Conference Report volumes (1990, 1994).

A prolific writer and scholar, Frank has over 25 publications to his credit in both English and Korean, translated numerous texts from Korean to English, and presented over 20 academic papers on Buddhism and related subjects. Frank enjoys promoting progressive activities within the Korean Buddhist world such as Join Together Society (JTS), the Buddhist Academy for Ecological Awakening, the Buddhist Coalition for Reform, Buddhist volunteerism and the world wide humanitarian work of Mother Park, a renown Won Buddhist kyomu (nun). Frank has regularly given talks at various temples in Seoul and around Korea, to Buddhist youth groups and international dharma teacher classes. He and his wife hosted a daily dharma and Korean/Sanskrit/English vocabulary lesson for a year on the national Korean Buddhist FM radio station BBS highlighting issues affecting Korean Buddhism today. The lessons were published in a popular monthly journal for general education about Buddhism.

Frank is back in the United States as of July 2001, accompanied by his wife Jinsuk who is Korean, and their nine-year old daughter Serenity, after more than twelve years in Korea. He will be teaching philosophy and Eastern religions at Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida. Frank welcomes your questions about Korean Buddhism and can be contacted at frankmtedesco@yahoo.com.