Entrepreneur | Futurist | Son of Project Blue Book's J. Allen Hynek

About

Paul Hynek carries one of the most significant names in UFO history — his father, J. Allen Hynek, was the Air Force's chief scientific consultant on Project Blue Book and the man who coined the term 'close encounter.' But Paul is no mere legacy figure. He is an entrepreneur, futurist, and sharp-minded thinker in his own right who brings a unique perspective: raised inside the phenomenon, watching his father's relationship with the government and the data evolve across decades, and now navigating the same terrain in an era of AI, synthetic biology, and accelerating disclosure. His work at CITD this year focuses heavily on artificial intelligence — what it means for consciousness, for contact, and for the human future. He is also one of CITD's most versatile contributors: hosting panels, leading workshops, delivering lectures, and running an intensive.

Sessions at CITD 2026

[FREE 101 COURSE]

DMT: The Cosmic QR Code

A free introductory talk on the relationship between DMT, consciousness, and contact experiences.

[WORKSHOP]

AI: Buckle Up

An unflinching look at what artificial intelligence is about to do to society, consciousness, and the UAP conversation — and how to prepare.

[WORKSHOP HOST]

AI VS. NHI

Workshop host. Joined by Dean Alioto and Deep Prasad for a provocative conversation about the convergence of artificial and non-human intelligence.

[PANEL HOST]

Psychedelic Gateways: Entities, Realms, and The Expanded Mind

Panel host. Joined by Dr. Pascal Michael, Michael Phillip, Danny Goler, Anthony Peake, Dr. Rizwan Virk, and Acid for Squares.

[LECTURE]

AI: The Surprising Good News and the Uncomfortable Truth

A lecture balancing the extraordinary promise of AI with its existential risks — and why this moment in history is unlike anything that came before.

[PANEL HOST]

Glitches in the Matrix: Questioning the Nature of Reality

Panel host. Joined by Deep Prasad, Dr. Thomas Campbell, Anthony Peake, Caroline Cory, Dr. Rizwan Virk, and Dr. Simeon Hein.

[PANEL]

Close Encounters of the Family Kind: The Hynek and Vallée Legacy

For the first time ever, all five children of Dr. J. Allen Hynek: Scott, Roxane, Joel, Paul, and Ross, join Jacques Vallée, their father’s closest scientific collaborator, on stage together. Hynek spent two decades as the Air Force’s chief scientific consultant on UFOs.

Vallée has carried their shared work forward for forty years. Moderated by Paul Hynek, this unprecedented panel weaves personal memory with unfinished science, and discusses what Hynek and Vallée’s partnership means for the field now that the world is finally catching up.

[INTENSIVE]

Signalarity: Consciousness Comes Home

A deep, extended session on the convergence of AI, consciousness, and contact — and what it means to be human at the threshold of a new era.