The Sol Foundation held its second annual symposium in San Francisco in November 2024, bringing together academics, government officials, and industry experts to address the scientific, philosophical, and policy challenges posed by UAP. The event was sponsored by the Nolan Laboratory and the Stanford School of Medicine.
What Is the Sol Foundation?
The Sol Foundation was launched on August 15, 2023, by Stanford Professor Garry Nolan, sociocultural anthropologist Peter Skafish, and Robovision founder Jonathan Berte. Garry P. Nolan holds the Rachford and Carlota A. Harris Professor Endowed Chair in the Department of Pathology at Stanford University School of Medicine.
The organization brings together experts from academia and government to address what it describes as "the philosophical, policy, and scientific problems raised by the likely presence on the Earth of UAP."
Key Presentations
The symposium featured discussions on standards of evidence for UAP, with Dr. Nolan in conversation with Matthew Pine. A fireside chat between Nolan and retired Colonel Karl Nell explored the intersections of hard and soft sciences and proposed a conceptual framework for addressing unresolved challenges in UAP and Non-Human Intelligence (NHI) research.
Professor Avi Loeb presented "New Results from the Galileo Project Observatory and Pacific Ocean Expedition." Former Navy pilot Ryan Graves discussed aviation safety and UAP in conversation with journalist Leslie Kean.
Admiral Tim Gallaudet stressed the need for an "all of government" approach to UAP policy. Dr. Eric Davis and Kirk McConnell discussed "The Politics of Executive Branch UAP Secrecy."
Notable Speakers
The symposium attracted a roster of respected researchers including Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Christopher Mellon, Dr. Diana Walsh Pasulka, Colonel Karl E. Nell, physicist Dr. Eric Davis, and Dr. Stephen Finley from Louisiana State University.
Context and Motivation
The organizers noted that they looked at conditions surrounding UAP advocacy — including a divisive election season and the likely failure of the UAP Disclosure Act — and decided they needed to assemble stakeholders to help renew momentum.
Looking Ahead
The Sol Foundation's 2025 symposium is scheduled for October 24-27 on the shores of Lake Maggiore in northern Italy, marking the organization's first international event.