This section is split into two. Immediately below are our team’s individual profiles. Then there are a few words about our organisation’s aim and approach.
Meet the team
Becky
Becky is director of The Human Potential Trust and overseeing editor for Evolve First. She co-wrote Glimpses of our evolutionary potential. Her tireless efforts in assisting/guiding us all makes what we contribute better.
“I'm keen for this website to stimulate thought and discussion about our place in the universe and hopefully some self-reflection as a consequence! I want our articles to act as an anti-arrogance prompt, for readers to consider that further evolution of our species is absolutely necessary.”
Iain
Iain is the lead writer and editor of Evolve First, with an unusual background that includes biology and psychology. Amongst other notable achievements, he’s written six books, made numerous films, and ran a medical clinic in Sudan for 25 years.
“The human race needs to grow up. There must be better education about the huge problem of psychological avoidance, and - when it comes to an interest in UFOs or UAP - greater self-awareness of confirmation bias and the importance of better thinking skills.”
Victoria
Victoria has great hunger for learning. Her educational background is psychology - and she's been an important part of our work for over 26 years. Coordinator, researcher, and writer for Evolve First.
“Writing for all you open-minded yet evidence-based readers out there is such an exciting and honourable opportunity. The discovery of numerous exoplanets, including those in the habitable zone, opens up the paradigm-shifting possibility that there’ll be life in other star systems. Evolve First calls for the transformation of our immature psychology - to achieve greater connection.”
Cal
Cal writes articles for the Beyond Earth and SpaceX sections. His keen eye for detail also makes him a capable proof-reader.
“Exploring the universe should be really exciting. Space is deep, mysterious, and massive. Instead of playing it safe, nibbling at the edges of what is already known, we should be leaping fearlessly into the unknown!”
Jessica
Jessica is our lead junior writer for the UAP section.
“Unidentified Aerial Phenomena are certainly intriguing. I, like many others, have an abundance of questions that I would love to have answers to. However, any speculation must be grounded, rooted in fact. I pride myself on reporting only the most worthwhile and reliable news, in an effort to bring integrity to the subject.”
Callum
Callum contributes ideas for content and writes on UAP - even when managing our huge Komsberg Wilderness Nature Reserve in South Africa.
“Unidentified objects are in our skies. A few governments have finally acknowledged this, and some scientists are beginning to study the phenomenon. All of which is a good start. But, if extraterrestrial life is visiting our planet, some big questions must be asked - particularly about our current ‘me-first’ mentality. We, at Evolve First, add a vital missing piece: the need for maturity.”
Niki
Niki is our chief proof-reader, contributing a range of professional skills. She’s taken a keen interest in the Starship program and now writes articles on the subject.
“Being part of Evolve First is an eye-opening, horizon broadening, boundary pushing experience. I readily admit to having no idea what's out there - but I'll be using my attention to detail, championing good grammar and typo-free text, throughout the journey of discovery.”
About us
Becky, director, The Human Potential Trust
Evolve First is a Human Potential Trust project. We’re a British registered educational charity specialising in the need for significantly better psychological health.
We’re pioneers - outliers - willing and capable of working hard to achieve our organisation’s aim. But that’s not as straightforward as it seems. We’re attempting to go against social conditioning and habit. The problem is a fixed mindset, defined by the limitations caused by psychological avoidance. Everyone knows that excuses and blaming others isn’t good, but these avoidance techniques are far more prevalent than is usually realised. An individual’s worries and no-go areas disrupt their perception of reality, causing irrational responses when there could be clarity. The problem with people is that they don’t want to know what the problem with them is. So our job isn’t easy!
We know how to bring about change. As implied on the home page, we think that humans are still relatively primitive when seen from a wider evolutionary or galactic perspective. But this isn’t how people generally think. Many arrogantly view themselves as being smart, even sophisticated - when the reality is they’ve barely scratched the surface of our human potential.
Exploration, the vastness of space, thinking about the Fermi paradox - these topics should help broaden perspective. The need for a fundamental shift in mindset would become glaringly obvious if we encountered other civilisations far ahead of us. It would be humbling and disruptive. The challenge to evolve would immediately be seen as a top priority. Or perhaps we can achieve the same thing now - just by seriously considering the strong likelihood that we’re not yet as advanced as we think? And this is precisely why we began this Evolve First project and website.
We champion rational thinking - with no exceptions. We’re exclusively evidence-based, whenever possible. Our area of expertise is the psychology of attitude, with the aim of stimulating the next step forward in human evolution. Our main website is here.
And this Who’d be a pioneer? article adds a bit more.