Society for UAP Studies Featured on Front Page of USA TODAY

The Society for UAP Studies was featured on the front page of USA TODAY on December 9, 2025, marking a significant moment for the emerging academic field dedicated to the study of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP).

The article, titled “Time To Get Real On UFOs,” highlights the Society’s mission to bring rigorous, interdisciplinary scholarship to phenomena that have long existed at the margins of academic inquiry. Written by USA TODAY journalist Phaedra Trethan, the feature examines the Society’s work, leadership, and recent international conference, situating UAP studies within broader scientific, philosophical, historical, and cultural frameworks.

At the center of the story is Society cofounder and president Dr. Michael Cifone, who describes the organization’s focus as an interest in what he terms “the empirical weird”—phenomena that challenge conventional explanatory models and require careful, methodologically grounded investigation. As emphasized in the article, the Society maintains positional neutrality regarding the ultimate nature or origin of UAPs, prioritizing standards of evidence, scholarly rigor, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The feature also underscores the Society’s global academic network. Its advisory board, council, and leadership include scholars from a wide range of disciplines—philosophy, law, the sciences, and the humanities—reflecting the Society’s conviction that UAP research cannot be confined to a single methodological or disciplinary lens.

USA TODAY situates the Society’s work within a broader public and governmental context, noting recent congressional hearings, Pentagon statements acknowledging unresolved anomalies, and the growing volume of credible witness reports. Against this backdrop, the Society’s approach is presented as a complimentary effort to develop durable academic frameworks for understanding complex and poorly categorized phenomena.

The article also highlights keynote contributions from leading scholars at the Society’s second international conference, including Professor Steve Fuller of the University of Warwick, whose remarks addressed the philosophical and societal implications of humanity’s possible place in a wider cosmic context—without presuming any definitive conclusions.

For the Society for UAP Studies, the front-page feature represents growing recognition of the need for careful, disciplined inquiry into UAP-related questions—work that is neither dismissive nor credulous, but grounded in scholarly responsibility.

As Dr. Cifone notes in the article, the Society’s focus remains clear: “We’re focused on the research for an enduring and rigorous understanding of the phenomena in all its aspects.”

The Society welcomes the opportunity to contribute to informed public discussion and to continue building a serious academic foundation for UAP studies in the years ahead.

Read more at USA Today: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/12/06/scientists-study-ufo-uap/87602420007/