To meet an alien intelligence, humanity sends a crew that is barely human themselves:
The story begins in 2082 when 65,000 alien probes simultaneously surround Earth, photograph it in a flash of fire, and then vanish. In response, humanity sends the starship Theseus to the edge of the solar system to find out who—or what—is watching. Blindsight by Peter Watts.epub
A "Synthesist" who had half his brain removed to stop seizures, leaving him a highly analytical observer who lacks traditional empathy. To meet an alien intelligence, humanity sends a