{{Short description|American ufologist}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Steven M. Greer | image = File:StevenGreer01 (cropped).jpg | image_size = | caption = Greer in 2007 | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1955}} | birth_place = Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | education = | occupation = Physician (retired)<br />Ufologist }} '''Steven Macon Greer''' (born 1955) is an American ufologist and a retired physician. He founded the Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence (CSETI) and the Disclosure Project, which claims to seek the disclosure of alleged classified UFO information.
==Early life and education == Greer was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1955. He claims he saw an unidentified flying object at close range when he was eight years old, and another UFO when he was 18.<ref name="Yoga Journal">{{cite news | first = Keith | last = Thompson | title = If We Call Them, Will They Come? | newspaper = Yoga Journal | pages = 70–77, 1–154 | date = October 1989 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=eOkDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA70 | access-date = March 8, 2013 | quote="page 70: By day, he is chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at a medium-sized hospital, frequently on call for periods of 12 to 24 hours." p. 70: Born in Charlotte in 1955. }}</ref>
He was trained as a Transcendental Meditation teacher and served as director of a meditation organization in the early 1970s.<ref name="Yoga Journal" /><ref name="Heard1994">{{cite news |last=Heard |first=Alexander S. |author-link=Alexander S. Heard |date=September 1, 1994 |title=Alien douglas brothers, come on down! |url=http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/Alien-Brothers--Come-on-Down-.html |access-date=March 12, 2013 |journal=Outside}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccaUo2p3rjI&feature=youtu.be |title=Does Dr. Steven Greer Believe in God? (Part 18) |date=2023-11-11 |last=djvlad |type=Video |access-date=2025-03-17 |via=YouTube}} Timestamp 2:45 “I was a meditation teacher and I was with the Maharishi and went all over in the early 70s setting up meditation centers…”</ref>
He received a B.S. degree in biology from Appalachian State University in 1982 and an M.D. degree from the James H. Quillen College of Medicine of East Tennessee State University in 1987.<ref name="newyorker1">Lewis-Kraus, Gideon (April 30, 2021) [https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/05/10/how-the-pentagon-started-taking-ufos-seriously How the Pentagon Started Taking U.F.O.s Seriously]. ''The New Yorker''. Retrieved on July 5, 2021.</ref> == Medical career == Greer received his Virginia medical license in 1989, and worked as an emergency room physician.<ref name="newyorker1"/> In 1998, he decided to retire as a physician in favor of his ufology activities.<ref name="Columbian">{{cite web | title=Founder of UFO Project is Coming to Portland | publisher=The Columbian | date=September 11, 2001 | access-date=March 10, 2013 | author=Oppegard, Brett | url=http://www.columbian.com/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010625064857/http://www.columbian.com/ | archive-date=June 25, 2001 }} [http://www.mysticbroadcast.net/ndn/columbian.html Alt URL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304030411/http://www.mysticbroadcast.net/ndn/columbian.html |date=March 4, 2016 }}</ref><ref name="Internal Med">{{cite web | title=Doctor UFO | publisher=Internal Medicine News | date=December 1, 2001 | access-date=March 10, 2013 | author=Berger, Joanne | url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Doctor+UFO.+(Indications).-a080899504 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509130356/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-81217718.html | archive-date=May 9, 2013}}</ref>
==Ufology career== Greer founded the Center for the Study of Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (CSETI) in 1990 to create a diplomatic and research-based initiative to contact extraterrestrial civilizations.<ref name="Daily Record">{{cite web |title=They're Here; UFO watchers to reveal proof that aliens have visited Earth |publisher=The Daily Record |date=May 9, 2001 |url=https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-74321804 |access-date=January 7, 2019 |archive-date=July 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723225147/https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-74321804/they-re-here-ufo-watchers-to-reveal-proof-that-aliens |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Courier">{{cite news |last = Masselos |first = Poppy |title = The aliens on the Internet |newspaper = Courier Mail |location = Queensland, Australia |page = H04 |date = September 26, 2000 }}</ref><ref name="Ottawa"/> The group defined CE-5 or 'close encounters of the fifth kind' as human initiated contact and communication with extraterrestrial life.<ref name="Ottawa">{{cite news |last = Heard |first = Alex |title = Apocalypse soon: A close encounter in the wilds of Minnesota |newspaper = The Ottawa Citizen |page = C4 |date = March 21, 1999 }}</ref> CSETI claims to have over 3,000 confirmed reports of UFO sightings by pilots and over 4,000 of what they describe as landing traces.<ref name="Courier"/> The organisation uses RAMITs ('Rapid Mobilisation Investigative Teams') with the aim of arriving at landing sites as quickly as possible. CSETI has defined a psychic protocol for human initiated contact to UFOs.<ref name="independent">{{cite news |last = Hulse |first = Tim |title = Make friends with an alien, says UFO man |newspaper = The Independent |location = London, UK |page = 4 |date = July 26, 1998 }}</ref>
In 1993, Greer founded the Disclosure Project, the goal of which is to publicly disclose the government's alleged knowledge of UFOs, extraterrestrial intelligence, and advanced energy and propulsion systems.<ref name="Daily Emerald">{{cite news |title = Alien theorist offers proof of government coverup |last = Schmidt |first = Brad |url = http://dailyemerald.com/2002/04/25/alien-theorist-offers-proof-of-government-coverup/ |newspaper = Oregon Daily Emerald |date = April 25, 2002 |access-date = December 12, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Tudor | first = Silke | title = Alien Culture | newspaper = SF Weekly | date = September 26, 2001 | url = http://www.sfweekly.com/2001-09-26/news/alien-culture/ | access-date = March 10, 2013 | archive-date = June 18, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150618125730/http://www.sfweekly.com/2001-09-26/news/alien-culture/ | url-status = dead }}</ref> Greer describes the Disclosure Project as an effort to grant amnesty to government whistleblowers willing to violate their security oaths by sharing classified information about UFOs.<ref>{{cite news |title = Admiral: Never looked for UFO data |last = Cox |first = Billy |url = http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080806/blog32/525095430 |newspaper = Herald Tribune |date = August 6, 2008 |access-date = March 21, 2013 |archive-date = September 25, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130925174053/http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080806/blog32/525095430 |url-status = dead }}</ref>
In October 1994, Greer appeared in Larry King's TV special ''The UFO Coverup?''<ref>{{cite news | last = Mendoza | first = Manuel | title = Alien Obsession Hits Even Larry King | newspaper = The Wichita Eagle | date = October 10, 1994 | url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=WE&s_site=kansas&p_multi=WE&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EADB63AF20E2DA6&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM | access-date = March 8, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121011212252/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=WE&s_site=kansas&p_multi=WE&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EADB63AF20E2DA6&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM | archive-date = October 11, 2012 }} [http://nbgoku23.googlepages.com/ALIENOBSESSIONHITSEVENLARRYKING.htm Alt URL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090615061838/http://nbgoku23.googlepages.com/ALIENOBSESSIONHITSEVENLARRYKING.htm |date=June 15, 2009 }}</ref>
In May 2001, Greer held a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. that featured 20 retired Air Force, Federal Aviation Administration and intelligence officers.<ref name="Daily Record" /><ref name="washtimes">{{cite news |title = Government is covering up UFO evidence, group says |first = Julia |last = Duin |url=http://www.washtimes.com/national/20010510-19816390.htm |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20010516132431/http://www.washtimes.com/national/20010510-19816390.htm | archive-date = May 16, 2001 | newspaper = The Washington Times |date = May 11, 2001 |access-date = March 8, 2013 }}</ref><ref name="abcnews">{{cite news | title = Group Calls for Disclosure of UFO Info | author = Katelynn Raymer | author2 = David Ruppe | url = https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=98572 | newspaper = ABC News | date = May 10, 2001 | access-date = March 11, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1322432.stm|title=UFO spotters slam 'US cover-up'|work=BBC News|date=May 10, 2001}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last =Kehnemui |first =Sharon |title =Men in Suits See Aliens as Part of Solution, Not Problem |work=Fox News |date=May 10, 2001 |url =https://www.foxnews.com/story/men-in-suits-see-aliens-as-part-of-solution-not-problem |access-date = May 10, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last =McCullagh |first =Declan |author-link =Declan McCullagh |title =Ooo-WEE-ooo Fans Come to D.C. |magazine=Wired News |date =May 10, 2001 |url =http://archive.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2001/05/43526 |access-date = May 10, 2007 }}</ref>
== Documentaries == In 2013, Greer co-produced ''Sirius'', a documentary detailing his work and hypotheses regarding extraterrestrial life, government cover-ups and close encounters of the fifth kind.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sullivan |first=Paul |title=New documentary proves aliens exist. We're dead Sirius |url=http://metronews.ca/voices/just-saying/627672/new-documentary-proves-aliens-exist-were-dead-sirius/ |publisher=Metro News |date=April 9, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428014638/http://metronews.ca/voices/just-saying/627672/new-documentary-proves-aliens-exist-were-dead-sirius/ |archive-date=April 28, 2013}}</ref> The film was directed by Amardeep Kaleka and narrated by Thomas Jane, and covers Greer's 2006 book ''Hidden Truth, Forbidden Knowledge''. The movie premiered on April 22, 2013, in Los Angeles, California, and features interviews from former government and military officials.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ibtimes.com/tiny-alien-humanoid-claimed-exist-steven-greers-upcoming-documentary-sirius-photo-video-1181439 |title=Tiny Alien Humanoid Claimed To Exist In Steven Greer's documentary 'Sirius' [PHOTO, VIDEO] |publisher=Ibtimes.com |date=April 9, 2013 |access-date=April 24, 2013}}</ref> ''Sirius'' depicts a {{convert|6|in|cm|adj=on|spell=in}} human skeleton known as the Atacama skeleton, which was claimed to be an alien skeleton.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/space/ufo-film-to-provide-proof-that-aliens-exist_841077.html |title=UFO film to provide proof that aliens exist |publisher=Zeenews.india.com |date=April 10, 2013 |access-date=April 24, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/6119/20130409/ufo-film-provide-proof-tiny-extraterrestrial-aliens-six-inch-body.htm |title=UFO Film May Provide Proof of Tiny Extraterrestrial Aliens: Six Inch Body Dissected (Video) : Space |publisher=Science World Report |date=April 9, 2013 |access-date=April 24, 2013}}</ref> Genetic evidence, however, demonstrated that it was human, with genetic markers found in "indigenous women from the Chilean region of South America". The director of the center that performed the genetic analysis said, "It's an interesting medical mystery of an unfortunate human with a series of birth defects."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.medicaldaily.com/atacama-humanoid-human-researchers-say-245416 |title=Atacama Humanoid is Human, Researchers Say |publisher=Medical Daily |date=May 1, 2013 |access-date=September 9, 2013}}</ref>
In 2017, ''Unacknowledged'', a crowdfunded documentary featuring Greer was released. It was directed by Michael Mazzola and narrated by Giancarlo Esposito. After debuting on iTunes and digital platforms on May 9, ''Unacknowledged'' moved to the number one documentary spot on those platforms internationally, and number two in the U.S.<ref>[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/hillary-clinton-championed-ufo-disclosure-doc-filmmakers-say-1009039/ Hillary Clinton Championed UFO Disclosure, Doc Filmmakers Say]. ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (May 31, 2017). Retrieved on July 5, 2021.</ref>
''Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind: Contact has Begun'' was released April 2020. The documentary was directed and written by Michael Mazzola and features Greer, Daniel Sheehan, Jan Harzan, and Russell Targ.<ref>{{cite web |title=Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind: Contact Has Begun |url=https://tv.apple.com/ca/movie/close-encounters-of-the-fifth-kind-contact-has-begun/umc.cmc.2b85sxniltrumxdx82ttflnz6 |website=Apple TV |date=April 7, 2020 |access-date=2025-07-19}}</ref> Writing in ''Variety'', film critic Owen Gleiberman described the film as "fantasy propaganda...a conspiracy documentary built around the thesis that the 'national security state' has concealed it from all of us," adding that "[Greer is] like a '70s computer nerd played by John Waters with a touch of Guy Pearce."<ref name="Gleiberman">{{cite web |last1=Glieberman |first1=Owen |title='Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind': Film Review |date=2020-04-08 |url=https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/close-encounters-of-the-fifth-kind-review-dr-steven-greer-1234574140/ |access-date=2021-07-07 }}</ref> Critic Noel Murray reported in the ''Los Angeles Times'' that the film was "overlong and rambling – more concerned with disconnected anecdotes than making a compelling case or telling an interesting story."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Murray |first1=Noel |title=Review: Five new movies to watch at home (or not), ranked from must-see to skip it |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2020-04-09/sea-fever-stray-dolls-we-summon-the-darkness-review |access-date=2023-02-08 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=April 9, 2020}}</ref> John Defore of ''The Hollywood Reporter'' wrote that the film "is far too impassioned in its nuttiness to be a purely cynical, Scientology-style sham", that it "rather strangely squeezes the last few years of UFO-related news coverage into a misleading frame, arguing that journalists, pundits and the government are collaborating to build fear in the public that would justify the establishment of a 'one-world government' that could wage an 'interplanetary war{{' "}}, and notes that "though [Greer's] been summoning [UFOs] from across the galaxy for decades, he can never convince an alien ship to travel an extra couple of miles and hover for a good photograph."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Defore |first1=John |title='Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind': Film Review |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/close-encounters-fifth-kind-1288806/ |access-date=2023-02-08 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |publisher=The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. |date=April 6, 2020}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Steven M. Greer}} {{Wikiquote}} * [https://drstevengreer.com Dr. Steven Greer]. Home page. * [https://drstevengreer.com/about-us/index.html Steven Greer biography]. Scroll down a bit. * [https://drstevengreer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/ExecutiveSummary-LRdocs.pdf Executive Summary of the Disclosure Project Briefing Document]. Copyright April 2001 – The Disclosure Project. And [https://web.archive.org/web/20231012220954/https://drstevengreer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/ExecutiveSummary-LRdocs.pdf archive] when website is problematic. * [https://geni.us/DPIArchive Disclosure Project Intelligence Archive (DPIA)]. * [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2806853/ Steven M Greer]. IMDB.
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Greer, Steven M.}} Category:1955 births Category:Living people Category:American UFO writers Category:Contactees Category:Ufologists Category:Appalachian State University alumni Category:East Tennessee State University alumni Category:People from Charlottesville, Virginia Category:Writers from Charlotte, North Carolina Category:American traumatologists