Mugdha Yeolekar Department of Religious Studies 800, N. State College Blvd., Fullerton, CA 92831 Office: 657-278-4419 Cell: 480-789-1390 [email protected] EDUCATION Ph.D. in Religious Studies, Arizona State University, 2014. Dissertation: “Gurucaritra Pārāyaṇ: Social Praxis of Religious Reading” (Committee Chair: Anne Feldhaus, Members: Alexander Henn and Julie Codell). M.A. in Political Science, University of British Columbia, Canada, 2005. M.A. in Political Science, University of Pune, India, 2002. B. A. in Political Science (Major), Philosophy and Logic (Minor), University of Pune, India, 2000. B.A. in Sanskrit, Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, India, 2000. EXTENDED STUDY Companions in Mission Program, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, USA., 2017-18. Jain Yoga Program, Three-Week Summer Program, International Institute of Jain Studies, New Delhi, India, 2017. Influences of Regional Literature on Sanskrit Writing in the Second Millennium, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel, 2005. PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS California State University at Fullerton, Religious Studies, Assistant Professor, Fall 2018-present. Uberoi Teacher Training Institute, Instructor of Indian Religions, Summer 2018. Loyola Marymount University, Theological Studies, Postdoctoral Faculty Fellow, 2015–present. PUBLICATIONS Peer-Reviewed Articles • “Texts and Trees: Ritual Engagements with Audumbar Tree in the Dattatreya Sampradāya.” In Sustainable Societies: Interreligious, Interdisciplinary Responses, Springer Publication, USA (2019) • “Toddlers and Teas: Interreligious Play” (with Tracy Sayuki Tiemeier). In Interreligious Friendship. Palgrave (2015). • “Where Agency is Not Resistance: A Case of Women's Ritual Reading of Gurucaritra.” In Exemplar, The Journal of South Asian Studies. (Vol 2. 1, 2013): 59-71. Book Reviews • Place/No-place in Urban Asian Religiosity, by Joanne Punzo Waghorne, ed. Asian Ethnology. Forthcoming. • Routledge Handbook of Gender in South Asia, by Leela Fernandes, ed. Asian Ethnology. Forthcoming. • A Place at the Multicultural Table, by Prema Kurien. The International Review of Modern Sociology. Available online at www.internationaljournals.org (Fall 2008):317-19. 1 Mugdha Yeolekar Works in Progress • “Teaching Diversity through Experiential Learning.” Article to be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal • “Reflections on Online Teaching in Religious Studies” Article to be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal AWARDS AND HONORS 2019 IMPACT certificate for successful completion of FOUR workshops on high impact teaching, CSUF rd. 2010 Guest speaker at the 83 Marathi Literature Meeting held in Pune, India. 2008 Teaching Excellence Award, Graduate Professional Students’ Association, Arizona State University 2007 Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, Department of Religious Studies, Arizona State University 2002 Certified to teach at any university in India as a result of completing the national level test for lecturers (NET) 2003 Gold Medal for Excellency in academics at the post- graduate level by the University of Pune, India. 1998-2001 Maharashtra Government Merit Scholarship, India. 1997 First Place, State of Maharashtra at the higher secondary school examination. GRANTS 2016 Lilly Conference Support, Center for Teaching Excellence, Loyola Marymount University. 2011 Dissertation Research and Writing Fellowship: Department of Religious Studies, Arizona State University. 2011 Dissertation Completion Emeriti Fellowship, Preparing Future Faculty Program at Arizona State University. 2011 International Dissertation Fellowship for conducting research in India by the American Academy of Religion 2010 Research Grant for conducting dissertation fieldwork in India from the Graduate Professional Students Association, Arizona State University. 2008 Department of Religious Studies Conference Travel Grant. 2008 Arizona State University Graduate Professional Students’ Association, Conference Travel Grant. 2006 Arizona State University Center for Asian Research, Conference Travel Grant. CONFERENCES Papers Presented • “Creating Inclusive Classrooms Through Experiential Learning.” Nineteenth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations, Patras, Greece. Jun 2019. • “Teaching Diversity Through Experiential Learning.” Western Conference of Association of Asian Studies, Soka University, CA. Sep 2018. • “Reflections on Teaching Indian Religions to North American High School Teachers.” Uberoi Experts Meeting, Tampa. Sep 2018. • “Can the “vulnerable” be “powerful?”: Analyzing dynamics of power and vulnerability in a sixteen century Hindu text.” American Academy of Religion, Boston, MA. Nov 2017. • “Eco-theology in Hindu traditions.” Oberoi Foundation Conference, Denver, CO. Sep 2017. • “Some reflections on worship of trees in Hinduism.” the Conference on Sustainable Societies: Interreligious Interdisciplinary Responses, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, CA. May 2017. Page 2 of 7 Mugdha Yeolekar • “Can the “vulnerable” be “powerful?”: Analyzing dynamics of power and vulnerability in a sixteen century Hindu text.” South Asian Studies Association Conference, Claremont, CA. Mar 2017. • “Gurucaritra Pārāyaṇ: Ek Bahuāyāmī Ākalan.” Bhandarkar Institute of Oriental Research, Pune, India. Jul 2016. • “Religion and home-making: Some reflections on the practice of Gurucaritra Pārāyaṇ in Pune.” Religion and Home-making Conference, Chennai, India. Jul 2016. • “This is not a book, it is a pothī”: analyzing material elements in ritual reading in Hinduism.” Channeling Grace through Art Conference, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA. Jan 2015. • “Texts and Trees; Ritual Engagements with Audumbar in the Dattātreya Sampradāya.” Seizing An Alternative: Ecological Civilization Conference, Claremont, CA. Jun 2015. • “The Social Practice of Religious Text in Contemporary Pune.” Western Conference of American Association of Asian Studies, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. Oct 2014 • “Women Reading a Forbidden Hindu Scripture: Gender Equality or Alternative Agency?” International Convention of Asia Scholars (ICAS 8), Macao, China. Jun 2013. st • “The Dynamics Between Gurucaritra and Ritual Practices in the Dattatreya Tradition.” 41 Annual South Asia Conference at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI. Oct 2012. • “Suffering can be borne, injustice cannot be: Exploring ‘Secular’ and ‘Sacred’ in the film Kunku.” “Sacred and Secular Conference,” Department of English, University of Southampton, United Kingdom. Sep 2008. • “Historicizing “history” in Phule and Ambedkar: Two Non-Brahman Leaders in Maharashtra.” Western Conference of American Association of Asian Studies, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT. Sep 2007. • “Malibu Hindu Temple: a case of recreation and retention of the immigrant religion.” International Association for History of Religions conference, Bangkok, Thailand. May 2007. • (With Dr. Anne Feldhaus) “Ratnamala Stotra: Influences of Regional Languages on Sanskrit Writing in nd the 2 Millennium.” Sanskrit Scholars’’ Workshop at Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel, Jul 2005. • “Gujarat Carnage: A Unique Case of Regional Consciousness or a Trendsetter in Indian Politics?” “International symposium on regional consciousness in India.” Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. 2004. • “Gujarat; a laboratory of the constructed identity of Hindutva?” Canadian Association of South Asian scholars, University of Dalhousie, Nova Scotia, Canada. Jun 2003. Panels Organized • Towards Understanding Lateral Leadership: Reflections on medieval texts in Hinduism, Christianity and Sikhism, American Academy of Religion, Boston, MA. 2017 • A public talk by Prof. Alexander Henn on Hindu- Catholic Encounters in Goa. Spring 2017. • A public talk by Prof. Vinay Lal on Gandhi and non-violence. Fall 2015. • Co-organizer, Graduate Student Conference, Center for Asian Research and Department of Religious Studies, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. Oct 2008 Other Participation • Participant in the Companions in Mission Program, Loyola Marymount University, 2017-18 • Attended the University Ethics Conference (a three-day conference on evidence-based teaching) at Boston, MA. Apr 2017. Page 3 of 7 Mugdha Yeolekar • Attended the Lilly Conference (a three-day conference on evidence-based teaching) at Anaheim, CA. Feb 2017. • Participant in the Intercultural Pedagogy Workshop, Loyola Marymount University. 2016-17. • Participant in Postdoctoral Fellows Seminar, Loyola Marymount University. 2015-2017. CAMPUS TALKS • “Reflections from Hindu World: Introduction to Intercultural Communication.” Pepperdine University, 28 September 2017. • “Gurucaritra Parayan: Social Praxis of Religious Reading.” The Yadunandan Center for India Studies, California State University, Long Beach, 20 October 2016. TEACHING EXPERIENCE Introduction to Buddhism (1 section ONLIE 2019), CSUF Introduction of Asian Religions (1 section ONLINE 2018), CSUF Religions of the World (2 sections, 2018-19), CSUF God and the Human Experience (1 section, 2017), Loyola Marymount University. Women and Religion (1 sections, 2017), Loyola Marymount University. Comparative Theology (10 sections, 2015-7), Loyola Marymount University. Religion and (Non)Violence (3 sections, 2015–17), Loyola Marymount University. World Religions in Los Angeles (6 sections, 2012–15), Loyola Marymount University. Introduction to Hinduism (2 sections, 2014), Chapman University. Living Religions of the World (2 sections, 2014), Chapman University. Ritual, Symbol, and Myth (4 sections, 2012-14), Arizona State