Organizations

Bigelow Institute for Consciousness Studies

2020

Founded by Robert Bigelow in 2020 to fund research into survival of human consciousness after death - a consciousness-focused successor to his earlier UFO ventures (NIDS, BAASS). In 2021 it ran a widely publicized essay contest, administered with Colm Kelleher, awarding roughly $1.8 million across 29 essays; parapsychologist Jeffrey Mishlove won the $500,000 first prize.

Explore Bigelow Institute for Consciousness Studies in the live connections board → Open the case file

Connections (8)

confirmedJeffrey Mishlove

won the $500,000 first prize in the 2021 essay contest

Source: BICS 2021 contest results; OpenSciences.org

confirmedColm Kelleher

administered the 2021 BICS essay contest with Bigelow

Source: Kelleher & Bigelow, The 2021 BICS Essay Contest (PhilPapers)

confirmedHal Puthoff

served as a judge on the 2021 BICS essay contest

Source: BICS Contest Judges page, bigelowinstitute.org

confirmedChristopher "Kit" Green

served as a judge on the 2021 BICS essay contest (as Christopher Green, PhD, MD)

Source: BICS Contest Judges page, bigelowinstitute.org

confirmedLeslie Kean

served as a judge on the 2021 BICS essay contest

Source: BICS Contest Judges page, bigelowinstitute.org

confirmedJessica Utts

served as a judge on the 2021 BICS essay contest

Source: BICS Contest Judges page, bigelowinstitute.org

confirmedInstitute of Noetic Sciences

parallel consciousness-research institutes

Source: Institute of Noetic Sciences history

confirmedRobert Bigelow

founded it in 2020

Source: George Knapp / KLAS-TV Mystery Wire reporting

Part of The Red Thread Files — an independent, evidence-first investigation into the UAP, USO, and consciousness question. Confidence labels (confirmed / reported / disputed) are an automated approximation based on the wording and directness of each source, not a verdict. Corrections: sddgfeedback@gmail.com.