Ram Dass was a clinical psychologist, researcher, and spiritual teacher known for his personal and professional relationship with Timothy Leary at Harvard University. He was born Richard Alpert in Newton, Massachusetts in 1931.
In 1971, he wrote the landmark book Be Here Now which details his academic and spiritual journeys and presents his recommendations for spiritual techniques, meditation, and yoga. Ram Dass along with Steve Jobs and other contributors founded the Seva Foundation in Berkeley, California in 1978.
Alpert and Leary conducted extensive research on the potential therapeutic effects of psychedelic substances like psilocybin and LSD. Two of their most well-known studies were the Harvard Psilocybin Project and the Good Friday Experiment.