Harvard's New Psychedelics Research Program Backed By Former Tesla Director's $16M Donation

Harvard University will create a Study of Psychedelics in Society and Culture backed by a $16 million gift from a former Tesla TSLA employee, recalling Elon Musk’s consistent praise for psychedelics, and Valor Equity Partners CEO, Antonio Gracias provided through his Family Foundation.

The new program, which comes some 60 years after Harvard prof Timothy Leary’s profuse endorsement of psychedelics, is born from an interdisciplinary effort between the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard Law School and Harvard Divinity School. 

It aims to “transform the psychedelics research landscape by producing cutting-edge scholarship and convening faculty, students and experts to engage in discussion around their far-reaching implications.”

The program will approach the psychedelics field from a range of humanistic and social scientific viewpoints including law, policy, ethics, religion and spirituality, the nature of consciousness, and art and literature.

The Gracias Family Foundation has reportedly been interested in psychedelics for therapeutic use, funding scientific research into efficacy and treatment methods. Its founder says he believes Harvard is “the ideal place to explore the topic of psychedelics from new angles and to craft a framework for their legal, safe and appropriate impact on society.”

Arts and Humanities Dean, Robin Kelsey echoed the sentiment, stating the university “is uniquely poised to become the most exciting place to debate, discuss and innovate in this area.”

The donation will be used for several activities at Harvard, including an endowed professorship with a broad focus on human health and flourishing; a new set of fellowships with UC Berkeley; research and training support and the organization of seminars, public-facing events and “a world-class conference.”

Prior research on psychedelics by Harvard includes the 2021 Project on Psychedelics Law and Regulation (POPLAR) within the Law School’s Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology and Bioethics and the Divinity School’s new Center for the Study of World Religions (CSWR.)

Michael Pollan, professor at Harvard’s Creative Writing program and Lewis K. Chan Arts Lecturer and the author of acclaimed psychedelics book-turned-Netflix NFLX series “How to Change Your Mind” says “this is a visionary gift.” 

“[It is] the first to take the so-called psychedelic renaissance beyond medicine by recognizing the importance of the humanities in exploring the impact and potential of these remarkable substances,” stated Pollan, who also co-founded the Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics (BCSP).

Photo: Benzinga edit with photo by Sisacorn and Bizi88 on Shutterstock.