A secular buddhism/meditation revolution is currently happening in the west, with many neuroscientists and other academics involved in the mix. It kind of matches what you are describing. I'd recommend starting with Michael Taft's "Deconstructing Yourself" podcast, in which he interviews many of the most prominent western representatives of meditative traditions and human potential movements, most secular. He also is the chair of a meditation center in San Francisco called The Alembic that opened recently.