Bruce Greyson
UVA – DOPS
Near-death experiences
Created the standard NDE Scale (1983); the most-cited NDE researcher.
Proponent
The researchers
Who actually does this work.
Inclusion is methodological: a doctorate from a recognized institution, peer-reviewed publication in indexed journals, blinding or preregistration, and substantive engagement with critique. By that standard the careful skeptics belong here as much as the proponents.
Edward F. Kelly
UVA – DOPS
Consciousness theory
Editor of Irreducible Mind and Beyond Physicalism; widely cited in philosophy of mind.
Theory / historyJim Tucker
UVA – DOPS (emeritus)
Reincarnation-type cases
Led DOPS’s American past-life case research until retiring January 2025.
ProponentJulie Exline
UVA – DOPS
Spiritual & anomalous experience
DOPS Research Director since 2025; studies how such experiences are appraised.
ProponentMarieta Pehlivanova
UVA – DOPS
Reincarnation cases, NDEs
Quantitative analyses of the DOPS case database.
ProponentCaroline Watt
Edinburgh – KPU (emerita)
Ganzfeld, preregistration
Held the Koestler Chair 2016–2024; elected SPR President 2025; a leading advocate of preregistration.
ProponentPeter Lamont
Edinburgh – KPU
History & theory of psychology
Historian of conjuring and belief; careful, critical scholarship.
Theory / historyChris Roe
University of Northampton
Dream ESP, mediumship
Past President of both the PA and SPR; Perrott-Warrick Senior Researcher 2015–21.
ProponentCallum Cooper
University of Northampton
After-death communication
Co-publishes on terminal lucidity and bereavement experiences.
ProponentSam Parnia
NYU Grossman – Parnia Lab
Consciousness at cardiac arrest
Runs the AWARE program; publishes in mainstream resuscitation medicine (Resuscitation, Critical Care).
Mainstream medicineEtzel Cardeña
Lund – CERCAP
Anomalous experience
Authored the 2018 American Psychologist review; edits the rigorously preregistered JAEX.
ProponentEberhard Bauer
IGPP, Freiburg
Counseling, history
Long-time figure at one of the largest parapsychology institutes.
ProponentMarc Wittmann
IGPP, Freiburg
Time perception
Mainstream-published psychologist of time and consciousness.
Theory / historyDean Radin
IONS
Presentiment, mind–matter
The field’s most prominent proponent; his “quantum” mind–matter work is among the most contested.
ProponentHelané Wahbeh
IONS
Channeling, physiology
IONS Director of Research; mixed-methods studies of anomalous experience.
ProponentArnaud Delorme
IONS / UCSD
EEG methods
Mainstream EEG-tools developer (EEGLAB) who also publishes psi analyses.
ProponentJulie Beischel
Windbridge (emerita)
Mediumship
Designed the “quintuple-blind” mediumship protocol; stepped down as Research Director end of 2024.
ProponentMark Boccuzzi
Windbridge
Mediumship, instrumentation
Co-founder; runs the lab’s technical and blinding apparatus.
ProponentRichard Wiseman
Hertfordshire
Anomalistic psychology
Rigorous skeptic who co-authors adversarial studies with proponents like Watt and Radin.
SkepticChris French
Goldsmiths
Why people believe
Founded the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit; edits The Skeptic.
SkepticSusan Blackmore
Plymouth (visiting)
Consciousness, ex-parapsychologist
A former believer turned skeptic after her own null results.
SkepticJames Alcock
York University
Psychology of belief
Co-author of the 2020 American Psychologist critique arguing psi claims cannot be true.
SkepticRay Hyman
Oregon (emeritus)
Statistics & methodology
The dean of careful psi skepticism; decades of methodological critique of ganzfeld.
SkepticA deliberate inclusion
Skeptics like Richard Wiseman, Chris French, Susan Blackmore, James Alcock, and Ray Hyman are not opponents of this directory – they’re part of it. Wiseman has co-authored formal adversarial studies with proponents such as Caroline Watt and Dean Radin. Good science on a contested question needs both chairs at the table.