In the past two decades, humankind’s understanding of the cosmos has evolved dramatically. And yet, the world that John E. Mack left behind in his sudden departure is now defined as much by advances in science and technology as it is by late-stage capitalism, global socioeconomic injustice, a renewed threat of nuclear war, catastrophic climate change, and international clashes between progressive and fundamentalist worldviews across multiple continents. Were John alive today, he would have much to say, and do, about all of this.
In his absence, we are compelled to pick up the mantel, resume his unfinished research, and introduce new thinking into the cultural conversation about UAP and the abduction phenomenon. Indeed, it is with a deep sense of mission, service, and passion that we have spent the better part of 2023 turning the lights back on at JEMI.
There was much work to be done. We started the year by tackling the enormous task of digitizing and dispersing John’s extensive archives (350 densely packed Bankers boxes). What we anticipated would take one month to complete, took nine. For some of us, the project turned out to be a life-changing event; one that gave rise to new relationships and partnerships formed alongside the emergence of an inspired vision for the next iteration of our organization. Collectively, we were challenged to define the context in which many ideas could coalesce into a coherent path forward. The initiatives outlined in this website are a testimony of our response to that assignment.
It bears mentioning here, that — in contrast to the isolation amongst his academic colleagues that John endured throughout his study of the phenomenon — our endeavors are animated by the contributions of a growing interdisciplinary community of scientists and scholars who have been consistently demonstrating the very quality of intellectual courage that so deeply defined John’s character. Among them, we have welcomed philosophers Kimberly Engels, Sean Esbjörn-Hargens, [Sharon Hewitt- Rawlette], Jeffrey J. Kripal, Michael E. Zimmerman, and other remarkable scholars onto JEMI’s new board of directors and advisors. They are joined at the table by experiencers and thought leaders such as anthropologist [Michael Masters], author/philosopher Keith Thompson, and podcaster/researcher Darren King. The feeling that we are initiating a timely effort that will help advance human knowledge about our place in a cosmos animated by previously unknown forms of advanced intelligent life, is positively crackling with Electricity.
For the next few years, our itinerary is well defined. We will be actively fundraising to cover our operational costs, while developing new research and planning for a JEMI future that will, hopefully, have reason to exist well beyond our contemporary efforts to realize John’s long-held vision have been spent. We proceed now with humility and in the spirit of collaboration as we set out to join numerous equally motivated organizations and individuals who have been similarly called to undertake this most exciting Work.
If you are dropping into our website for the first time, welcome! Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you feel your interests might align with ours in some practical or inspiring way… In gratitude and service,
Karin Austin
