Jim Brown, associate professor of history, has completed two projects in Nongkhai, Thailand. Brown worked with a group under the direction of Prakroo Suyannasopit, abbot of Watprathatratbamrun Buddhist temple, to develop a curriculum and manual on Vipasanna meditation, which will be offerred to foreigners. Brown worked on the English translation and was the first to complete the curriculum.
In a second project, he co-authored and edited a handbook for volunteers for OpenmindProjects, an organization based in Nongkhai that places volunteer English and computer teachers in poor schools, orphanages and eco-tourism development projects in Thailand and Laos. Brown also worked with the organization to develop their orientation program for new volunteers and participated in lesson-planning workshops that brought together Thai teachers and international volunteers.