https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/g5gdpb/meet-the-scientist-who-is-preparing-for-humanitys-first-contact-with-aliens

It’s a moment that has been captured in countless iconic sci-fi movies: An alien species either sends a message to Earth or actually arrives planet-side, initiating an unprecedented relationship between civilizations that can be benign, hostile, or just plain inscrutable, depending on the film.

This premise makes for great science fiction fodder, but it’s also a possible future reality that requires thorough and cogent preparation. Mike Garrett, who serves as the inaugural Sir Bernard Lovell chair of astrophysics at the University of Manchester and the director of the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, is one expert who has helped develop international protocols to guide the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI).