Early Life & Entry into Parapsychology

Dean Ivan Radin was born in 1952 in Chicago, Illinois. He developed an early fascination with science and technology, earning a BSEE (Electrical Engineering) degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He went on to earn an MS in Electrical Engineering and a PhD in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, focusing on human factors and psychophysics. His combined interests in rigorous experimentation and human consciousness led him to parapsychology (sources: Psi Encyclopedia, IONS).

Career Milestones & Contributions

Early Research & Government Projects

In the 1970s and 1980s, Radin worked on advanced telecommunications, human performance, and parapsychology projects, including research funded by U.S. government programs such as the Stargate Project, which investigated remote viewing and other psi abilities for potential intelligence applications (sources: Psi Encyclopedia, IONS).

Academic & Institutional Roles

Radin has held research positions at Princeton University, GTE Laboratories, SRI International, University of Edinburgh, and Interval Research Corporation. His work at Princeton’s Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) Lab and SRI involved psychokinesis, remote viewing, and the design of highly controlled psi experiments (sources: Psi Encyclopedia).

Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS)

Since joining IONS in 2001, Radin has served as Chief Scientist, directing research into mind-matter interaction, presentiment, meditation, and global consciousness correlations. His work often integrates physics-based models with experimental parapsychology (sources: IONS, Psi Encyclopedia).

Experimental and Scholarly Contributions

• Presentiment Research: Designed and conducted physiological studies suggesting unconscious anticipation of future stimuli, measured through electrodermal activity, heart rate, and other biometric signals.
• Mind-Matter Interaction: Investigated whether human intention can influence random number generators and optical interference patterns at the quantum level.
• Global Consciousness Project: Contributed to research analyzing deviations in worldwide RNG networks correlated with major global events.
• Double-Slit Consciousness Studies: Explored whether focused attention can measurably affect interference patterns in the classic physics double-slit experiment.
• Meta-Analyses: Published statistical overviews of psi research in areas like telepathy, precognition, and PK, often arguing for small but significant effects that withstand skeptical scrutiny.

Books & Public Communication

• The Conscious Universe (1997) – Presents empirical evidence for psi phenomena and addresses skeptical critiques.
• Entangled Minds (2006) – Discusses quantum theory analogies for psi and reviews experimental findings.
• Supernormal (2013) – Examines extraordinary abilities described in ancient traditions through the lens of modern science.
• Real Magic (2018) – Explores the overlap between esoteric traditions, consciousness research, and experimental psi findings.

Impact & Legacy

• Scientific Advocate: One of the most visible modern advocates for parapsychology within the scientific community and public sphere.
• Methodological Contributions: Introduced tighter controls, automated protocols, and physics-based approaches to psi research.
• Public Engagement: Frequent speaker at conferences, media appearances, and debates on the reality and implications of psi phenomena.
• Interdisciplinary Visionary: Bridges psychology, physics, engineering, and consciousness studies to propose integrated models of mind and reality.

Summary Timeline

Bottom Line

Dean I. Radin is one of the most influential contemporary figures in parapsychology, known for integrating rigorous experimental protocols with bold theoretical models. His work has helped bring psi research into public and academic discussion, while challenging conventional assumptions about consciousness and reality.