Celebrate the Wonder of Science
with the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry
in Philadelphia | July 15-18, 2027
The mission of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI) is to promote scientific inquiry, critical investigation, and the use of reason in examining controversial and extraordinary claims, largely through Skeptical Inquirer magazine and an annual conference—CSICon. Launched in 1976, CSI is now a program of the Center for Inquiry, a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to defending science and challenging pseudoscience.
Featured Speakers & Emcee
Henry Winkler
From the iconic role of Arthur Fonzarelli, a.k.a. “The Fonz,” in the TV series Happy Days to his recent costarring role as acting teacher Gene Cousineau in the hit HBO dark comedy Barry, Henry Winkler has received entertainment’s highest honors including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Golden Globe Awards, Television Critics Choice Awards, and Daytime Emmy Awards. He currently hosts and produces Hazardous History with Henry Winkler, a series that highlights how the reckless choices in our collective past have led to the safer world we enjoy today. His autobiography, BEING HENRY: The Fonz … and Beyond, was on the New York Times best-seller list for eleven weeks and was a Good Reads Award winner for Best Humor book. (Find Henry Winkler’s full bio on the Speakers page.)
Ann Druyan
Ann Druyan is an Emmy and Peabody award-winning writer/director/producer. She was the Creative Director of NASA’s Voyager Interstellar Message and cowrote with Carl Sagan COSMOS: A Personal Voyage, six New York Times best-sellers including The Demon-Haunted World, and co-created the motion picture CONTACT. Druyan created COSMOS : A SpaceTime Odyssey and COSMOS: Possible Worlds for the Fox and National Geographic Television Networks.
Richard Dawkins
Richard Dawkins, PhD, is an evolutionary biologist and internationally bestselling author. He was the inaugural Charles Simonyi Professor of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University. His twenty books, including The Selfish Gene, The Blind Watchmaker, The Ancestor's Tale and The Genetic Book of the Dead, have sold more than seven million copies and been published in more than forty languages. His latest book is 42 Tales from Life. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and the Royal Society of Literature.
Leighann Lord
Leighann Lord (veryfunnylady.com), the emcee for the 2026 CSICon, is a seasoned New York City-based stand-up comedian. Lord is a former cohost of the Emmy-nominated StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson, and she can be seen in Showtime’s Even More Funny Women of a Certain Age.
Many More Amazing Speakers!
We have a star-studded roster of skeptical science communicators!
Live Podcasts
CSICon 2027 will include two live podcasts: Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe is included with general registration, and Squaring the Strange is available with an extra ticket.
CSICon Schedule
Stay up to date with the CSICon Schedule for 2027
View Program ScheduleMore to Do
Scam School LIVE! Workshop with Brian Brushwood
Thursday, July 15 | 9:00 AM–10:30 AM
Admission to this workshop is $75.
Learn five tricks that will make you the most interesting person in the room. Join Scam School creator Brian Brushwood for an exciting, interactive hands-on workshop packed with ingenious tricks, sneaky bar bets, and impossible-looking feats you can perform yourself. Brushwood will fool you, show you how it works, and coach you through turning the tables on your fellow attendees. No magic experience required. Come ready to be fooled; leave ready to amaze.
Alien Echoes Movie Screening and Q&A with Brian Dunning
Thursday, July 15 | 11:15 AM–1:15 PM
This event is included with General Admission.
Enjoy an early screening of the documentary Alien Echoes, the latest from Skeptoid Media. According to the description: “Life may indeed be everywhere, yet there might be something completely unexpected preventing (or hiding) contact. And if we're lucky, our investigation will ultimately lead us to the answer to our mystery: Where is everybody?” Stick around after the screening for an out-of-this-world Q&A with the film’s producer Brian Dunning.
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Digital Fakery: How to Spot Deceptive Imagery
Thursday, July 15 | 1:45 PM–3:15 PM
Admission to this workshop is $75.
Julia Visentin (video editor extraordinaire) and Kenny Biddle (CSI’s chief investigator) explore the latest and greatest digital tools and techniques used for creating convincing fake photos and videos (with and without a paranormal theme). Attendees will learn how modern editing software, visual effects, and AI-generated content can be used to create deceptive imagery, along with practical tips and tricks for identifying signs of manipulation. Learn how to separate digital fakery from authentic evidence.
VIP Luncheon
Friday, July 16 | 12:00 PM–1:50 PM
Admission to this luncheon is $500.
Join the Center for Inquiry’s President and CEO Robyn Blumner as she hosts this once-in-a-lifetime luncheon and panel featuring Ann Druyan and Bertha Vazquez. Seating is limited.
What Would Randi Do?
Saturday, July 17 | 4:00 PM–5:15 PM
This event is included with General Admission.
Banachek (president of the James Randi Educational Foundation) hosts a brand-new magical experience premiering at CSICon in Philadelphia. Behold the art of deception as three illusionists attempt to deceive Chip Denman (statistician behind the James Randi Educational Foundation One Million Dollar Challenge and JREF vice president) and James Underdown (founder of the Center for Inquiry Investigations Group). Will these seasoned investigators be able to identify experimental controls that would stifle the apparent “paranormal” abilities of Brian Curry (The Good Liar), Dustin Dean (Mentalist/Psychic Debunker), and Steve Trash (The Rockin’ Eco Hero)? There’s only one way to find out!
Critical Thinking,Science,Reason.
CSICon 2027 is happening July 15-18 at the historic Loews Philadelphia Hotel!
Secure your room today!
Call forPapers& Speakers
The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry is delighted to announce our Call for Posters & Speakers. Selected applicants will have the opportunity to present a poster at Thursday’s Poster Session or a talk at Sunday’s Skeptical Spotlight Session during CSICon 2027. The conference will be held at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel in Philadelphia, PA, from July 15–18, 2027.
Submission Guidelines
