disinfozone/The_Info_Web
1
0
Fork 0
Code Issues Pull requests Projects Releases Packages Wiki Activity Actions

vault backup: 2026-10-04 21:27:23

Browse source
This commit is contained in:
disinfo.zone 2026-10-04 21:27:23 -04:00
parent f1f0a6f3b2
commit b6f3f36dda
No known key found for this signature in database
38 changed files with 3888 additions and 549 deletions
Download patch file Download diff file Expand all files Collapse all files

79
40 - EVENTS/2025 Athens High School Terrorism Case.md Normal file
View file

@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
---
category: "Terrorism"
tags:
- Event
- Terrorism
- SchoolThreat
- Alabama
- 764
- ManiacMurderCult
- NoLivesMatter
- JuvenileCase
- USA
alias:
- Athens High School Terrorism Case
- Athens High School Terrorism Indictment
- Carson Albert Butler
- Carson Butler
- Butler Indictment
date: 2025-12-04
location: "Athens, Alabama"
summary: "Limestone County grand jury indictment of Carson Albert Butler in 2025 for terrorism, attempted murder and conspiracy, alleging conspiracy with 764, Maniac Murder Cult and No Lives Matter to target Athens High School students and staff."
relations:
- type: investigated_by
with: "[[Athens Police Department]]"
start: 2025-06
role: "held in custody since June 2025 after the FBI informed Athens police of his alleged threats; police said on December 4, 2025 that a grand jury had indicted him"
fn: 1
- type: investigated_by
with: "[[Federal Bureau of Investigation]]"
start: 2025-06
role: "informed Athens police in June 2025 of the alleged threats"
fn: 1
- type: prosecuted_by
with: "[[Limestone County District Attorney's Office]]"
start: 2025-11
role: "District Attorney Brian Jones; indictment under the code section permitting anyone 16 or older to be charged as an adult"
fn: 1
- type: indicted_for_conspiracy_with
with: "[[764 Network]]"
start: 2025-11
role: "named in the indictment, as reported, as one of the extremist groups with which Butler allegedly conspired"
fn: 1
- type: indicted_for_conspiracy_with
with: "[[Maniac Murder Cult]]"
start: 2025-11
role: "named in the indictment, as reported, as MKU (Maniac Murder Cult)"
fn: 1
- type: indicted_for_conspiracy_with
with: "[[No Lives Matter]]"
start: 2025-11
role: "named in the indictment, as reported, as one of the extremist groups with which Butler allegedly conspired"
fn: 1
created: 2026-10-04
updated: 2026-10-04
---
On December 4, 2025, [[Athens Police Department|Athens police]] in [[Athens, Alabama]] stated that a [[Limestone County, Alabama|Limestone County]] grand jury had indicted Carson Albert Butler, 18, on five counts: terrorism, two counts of attempted murder and two counts of conspiracy to commit murder. Police said Butler had allegedly threatened students and faculty at [[Athens High School]]. The indictment alleges that Butler conspired with extremist groups including [[764 Network|764]], MKU ([[Maniac Murder Cult]]) and [[No Lives Matter]] to target several students and staff at the school.[^1]
### Indictment and Arrest
Butler was indicted in November 2025 and served with an arrest warrant on Wednesday, December 3, 2025. He was held in the [[Limestone County Jail]]. The indictment states that Butler acted "with the intent to commit the crime of murder [and] attempt to intentionally cause the death of another person … by committing an overt act towards the commission of the crime of murder." The indictment lists five counts and names 11 people as allegedly targeted.[^1]
Athens police said Butler "made the threats earlier this year" and had been in custody since June 2025, when the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] informed them of his actions. The lead paragraph of the report on the indictment places the alleged threats "this summer." Police Chief [[Anthony Pressnell]] said Butler previously attended Athens High School but was not enrolled at the time of the alleged threat. Athens police contacted school officials immediately because school activities were planned at some campuses over the summer, and provided additional uniformed and undercover officers at campus events. Superintendent [[Beth Patton]] and school system staff, Pressnell said, "stayed in constant communication."[^1]
### Charging as an Adult
Limestone County District Attorney [[Brian Jones]] said he could not comment extensively until an [[Aniah's Law]] hearing was held, noting that Butler was 17 at the time of the alleged crimes and turned 18 in November 2025. Jones said: "He was indicted by a grand jury on the five counts and was arrested on that indictment Wednesday. We indicted him under the code section where we can charge anyone 16 and older as an adult." Judge [[Chad Wise]] appointed counsel on Thursday and scheduled a court appearance for Friday; the appointed attorney filed an unopposed motion to continue the hearing.[^1]
### The Named Groups
The FBI describes 764 as "modern-day terrorism"; 764 was founded in Texas in 2021 by [[Bradley Chance Cadenhead]], then 15, who is serving an 80-year sentence; and the [[U.S. Department of Justice]] has described Maniac Murder Cult as "an international racially motivated violent extremist group" that adheres to an ideology promoting violence intended to trigger a racial and religious war. A [[Department of Justice]] press release on a different indictment of the previous month describes 764 members as using social media platforms to support the possession, production and sharing of extreme gore media and [[Child sexual abuse material|child sex abuse material]] with vulnerable juvenile populations.[^1]
### Later Case in Portland
On October 2, 2026, Multnomah County prosecutors in [[Portland, Oregon]] stated in court that the FBI had found references to 764 on the devices of a 15-year-old charged with domestic terrorism over a chemical release at [[Benson Polytechnic High School]]; see [[Benson Polytechnic High School Incident]].
### Footnotes
[^1]: Wesley Tomlinson, "Indictment: Teen committed terrorism, attempted murder targeting Athens High staff, students," The Decatur Daily, December 5, 2025, https://www.decaturdaily.com/news/limestone_county/indictment-teen-committed-terrorism-attempted-murder-targeting-athens-high-staff-students/article_f6921221-e422-4cb9-a33d-acc4b3430aa4.html

149
40 - EVENTS/2026 Benson Polytechnic High School Incident.md Normal file
View file

@ -0,0 +1,149 @@
---
category: "Terrorism"
tags:
- Event
- DomesticTerrorism
- SchoolIncident
- Oregon
- Portland
- ChemicalRelease
- 764
- JuvenileCase
- USA
alias:
- Benson Polytechnic High School Incident
- Benson High School Incident
- Benson High School Chemical Incident
- Benson Polytechnic Chemical Incident
- 2026 Benson Polytechnic High School Chemical Incident
- Benson Poly Chemical Spill
date: 2026-09-08
location: "Portland, Oregon"
summary: "A 15-year-old student mixed chemicals in the Benson Polytechnic High School cafeteria on September 8, 2026; charged October 2 with 19 counts including domestic terrorism, with a prosecutor citing FBI-found references to 764."
relations:
- type: investigated_by
with: "[[Portland Police Bureau]]"
start: 2026-09-08
role: "case number 26-262949; detectives, with the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office, interviewed witnesses, reviewed surveillance footage and social media accounts, executed search warrants and seized electronic devices"
fn: 1
- type: prosecuted_by
with: "[[Multnomah County District Attorney's Office]]"
start: 2026-10-02
role: "juvenile petition of 19 counts; Deputy District Attorney Eric Zimmerman argued at the initial appearance; District Attorney Nathan Vasquez stated the office would seek to try the defendant as an adult"
fn: 2
- type: investigated_by
with: "[[Federal Bureau of Investigation]]"
start: 2026-10-02
role: "described by Zimmerman in court as reviewing seized papers, hard drives and computers, including what he called extensive references to 764; review described as ongoing"
fn: 6
- type: responded_to_by
with: "[[Portland Fire & Rescue]]"
start: 2026-09-08
role: "first responders; evacuation and triage of students and staff on the athletic fields; hazardous materials crew neutralized the spilled mixture"
fn: 3
- type: responded_to_by
with: "[[Metropolitan Explosive Disposal Unit]]"
start: 2026-09-08
role: "examined the materials; supervisor Jim DeFrain gave remarks at the September 9 press conference; samples collected and sent to Salem for testing"
fn: 4
- type: referenced_in
with: "[[764 Network]]"
start: 2026-10-02
role: "references to 764 stated by Zimmerman in open court; the Portland Police Bureau release listing the charges does not mention 764"
fn: 6
created: 2026-10-04
updated: 2026-10-04
---
On September 8, 2026, a 15-year-old student at [[Benson Polytechnic High School]], a [[Portland Public Schools]] campus in the [[Kerns, Portland|Kerns neighborhood]] of [[Portland, Oregon]], mixed chemicals in the school cafeteria and inhaled the resulting gases. On October 2, 2026 the [[Multnomah County District Attorney's Office]] charged him in juvenile court with 19 counts, including [[Oregon Domestic Terrorism Statute|domestic terrorism]] in the first and second degrees. At the initial appearance, Deputy District Attorney [[Eric Zimmerman]] told the court that the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] had found numerous references to [[764 Network|764]] on the defendant's devices that morning. The Portland Police Bureau did not identify him because of his age, and his attorneys denied all allegations.[^1][^2]
### September 8: First Release
At about 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 8, [[Portland Fire & Rescue]] personnel, followed by [[Portland Police Bureau]] officers, responded to Benson Polytechnic High School "following a report of a student experiencing a medical emergency." School staff were tending to a 15-year-old male student in the cafeteria area. The Bureau's first release that day stated that "authorities believe the student mixed numerous chemicals that he brought to the school from home and subsequently ingested the mixture. The exact nature of the substances involved remains under investigation."[^3]
The school was evacuated and students were moved to surrounding athletic fields. The release stated that while Portland Fire & Rescue personnel "worked to safely neutralize the mixed chemicals in the cafeteria, others assessed more than 100 evacuated students, staff members, and faculty. No additional patients required transport to a hospital, although two staff members went via private vehicle out of an abundance of caution." The [[Metropolitan Explosive Disposal Unit]] examined the materials, and members of the Bureau's Homicide Unit responded "as a precaution to determine whether there is any potential criminal nexus to the incident."[^3]
### September 9: Second Release and Press Conference
The Bureau's second release stated that detectives believed the student "suffered a medical emergency after mixing chemicals and inhaling the gasses produced by the mixture, not drinking the concoction as originally reported." It stated that he received "life-saving care from school staff" and was taken to a hospital in critical condition, and that he was expected to survive. The investigation by then included "numerous interviews, follow-up on tips, review of surveillance footage and social media accounts, execution of search warrants and seizure of electronic devices." The release stated that "investigators believe the student acted alone and there is no ongoing threat to the school community or public."[^1]
At a press conference on Wednesday, September 9, Police Chief [[Bob Day]] said investigators had seized multiple electronic devices and were reviewing evidence posted online involving "numerous students, multiple phones, and multiple social platforms." He said that as of that morning there was still no clarity, as OPB reported it, on whether the student intended to harm only himself or others as well. Portland Public Schools Superintendent [[Kimberlee Armstrong]] said staff members performed CPR and used an automated external defibrillator before responders arrived.[^4]
Portland Fire & Rescue Chief [[Lauren Johnson]] said the exact contents and combination of the mixture were still unknown to fire investigators, and that smelling the odor did not mean people had inhaled enough to become sick. Fire spokesperson [[Rick Graves]] said up to 200 students and staff members were evaluated on the athletic fields and that no other people were injured or sickened as a result of the incident. Jim DeFrain, supervisor of the Metropolitan Explosive Disposal Unit, said the mixture was likely made from common household products: "There was not some sort of nefarious chemistry going on here. This is pretty common stuff that just gets mixed together and can off-gas in a way that can make you very sick." DeFrain's unit collected samples in the building and sent them to [[Salem, Oregon|Salem]] for testing. Classes were canceled September 8 and 9 and were expected to resume September 10.[^4]
### The Bureau's Wording Across Versions
The three versions of the release, as they now appear stacked on a single page, describe the student's act as follows.
- September 8: the student "subsequently ingested the mixture"; detectives were pursuing "what led to the student ingesting them."
- September 9: the student suffered a medical emergency "after mixing chemicals and inhaling the gasses produced by the mixture, not drinking the concoction as originally reported."
- October 2: the student was "in significant distress after mixing chemicals he had brought from home and inhaling the gasses produced by the mixture."
The first release described the matter as a medical emergency with a possible criminal nexus. The October 2 version, headed "UPDATE: Teen Criminally Charged with Attempted Murder, Terrorism Following September Incident at Benson HS," states that the student "is not being identified due to his age."[^1]
### October 2: Charges
The updated release of 4:28 p.m. on October 2 lists the following charges, under case number 26-262949:[^1]
- Attempted Aggravated Murder (10 counts)
- Attempted Murder in the First Degree
- Attempted Murder in the Second Degree
- Domestic Terrorism in the First Degree
- Domestic Terrorism in the Second Degree
- Unlawful Manufacturing of a Destructive Device
- Unlawful Possession of a Destructive Device
- Possession of a Weapon in a Public Building
- Unlawful Use of a Weapon
- Recklessly Endangering Another Person
A [[Multnomah County Circuit Court]] spokesperson told [[OPB]] the total was 19 charges.[^2] [[KATU]]'s list of the same charges describes the second terrorism count as "second-degree attempted terrorism."[^5] The release states: "PPB and partners spoke about the case at a news conference on October 2, 2026." The release does not mention 764.[^1]
### October 2: Initial Appearance
The student appeared at the [[Multnomah County Juvenile Justice Center]]. Juvenile Hearings Referee [[Kristine Almquist]] ordered him released to a mental health treatment program in Portland where, OPB reported, he had been receiving treatment. [[KPTV]] reported the order as release to the student's father, with the expectation that he return immediately to the program, and reported that the judge set another hearing in about six weeks to decide future custody status. KATU reported that the court ordered him returned to a hospital for treatment, with no contact allowed with victims. The state had asked that he be held at the [[Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Facility]].[^2][^6][^5]
Defense counsel submitted letters from two psychiatrists recommending continued psychiatric care, and KPTV reported the defense stating that the student has no prior court history. In a written statement the student's attorneys said he is "receiving appropriate and necessary mental health treatment," that "the family is grateful that no one else was injured and for the swift intervention of school staff and first responders," and that the family asked for privacy.[^2][^6][^7]
Zimmerman requested reconsideration of the referee's decision before a circuit court judge. KPTV reported the rehearing as scheduled for Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at 1:45 p.m.[^2][^6] District Attorney [[Nathan Vasquez]] said at a press conference that his office would seek to try the student as an adult. KATU quoted him: "I'm looking at conduct and how dangerous that is and what I consider to be safe for the community," adding that he was weighing "the safety of, is it 50? Is it 100? Is it 500 children at a school?"[^2][^5]
### Statements Made in Court on October 2
The hearing, KPTV reported, "focused on where the teen should stay while the case moves forward, not on the facts of the allegations." Statements below were made by Zimmerman as reported by the named outlets; none is a finding.
On the substance, KPTV reported Zimmerman as saying "investigators identified the mix as hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen cyanide." [[KOIN]] reported the prosecution identifying "a number of the chemicals used" and saying "the most dangerous among them were hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen cyanide." OPB reported that Zimmerman said the student "attempted to make hydrogen sulfide," that multiple staff members and students reported trouble breathing and headaches, and that the student arrived wearing gloves and goggles. KPTV reported surveillance video showing the student "arriving in gloves and dark clothing and pouring chemicals from a white jug."[^2][^8][^6][^7]
On injuries, KPTV reported Zimmerman saying that at least seven students and staff needed medical care, that more than 100 people were checked at the school, and that investigators believed more people could have been harmed.[^6]
On the search of the student's home and online activity, KPTV reported Zimmerman describing "many dangerous chemicals and reactive substances, including materials that can be used in thermite-type mixtures," and social media posts about making acetone peroxide, along with posts referencing a "kill/death ratio" and "language about self-harm and wanting to cause death to himself and others." OPB reported that Zimmerman said the student "had written extensively on social media about feelings of suicide and his desire to hurt fellow students." KATU reported the prosecution describing posts showing "a fascination with explosives."[^2][^6][^5]
On 764, the outlets reported the following.
- KPTV: "Zimmerman said the FBI is reviewing seized papers, hard drives and computers found Friday morning, including what he described as extensive references to '764,' a violent extremist group. He said the review is ongoing."[^6]
- OPB: "on Friday morning, officials with the FBI had found numerous references on the student's devices to 764, an extremist group that officials say works to exploit minors online into committing violent crimes."[^2]
- KOIN: "a search of the student's device revealed he wrote about hurting himself and others, as well as references to a violent extremist group known as 764."[^7]
- KATU: the FBI "found references to the violent online network known as '764' and numerous searches about harming others on devices." The same report states: "The references described in court do not, by themselves, establish that the teenager was a member of 764." It adds that all 56 FBI field offices, including Portland, are involved in investigations into these violent online networks.[^8]
None of these reports ties the references to [[The Com]], [[No Lives Matter]], [[Maniac Murder Cult]] or any named 764 member or cell.
### Side by Side: September 9 and October 2
| Subject | September 9 | October 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Contents of the mixture | Chief Johnson: exact contents and combination "still unknown to fire investigators"; DeFrain: "likely made from common household products" | Zimmerman, per KPTV and KOIN: hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen cyanide; per OPB: the student "attempted to make hydrogen sulfide" |
| Persons affected | Graves: up to 200 evaluated, no other people injured or sickened; Bureau release of September 8: no additional hospital transport, two staff members left by private vehicle | Zimmerman, per KPTV: at least seven students and staff needed medical care, more than 100 checked |
| Intent | Chief Day: no clarity whether the student meant to harm only himself or others | Charges include 12 counts of attempted murder or attempted aggravated murder; Zimmerman, per OPB: posts about "his desire to hurt fellow students" |
### Open Items
The rehearing before a circuit court judge was scheduled for Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at 1:45 p.m.[^6] A custody review was set for about six weeks after October 2.[^6]
### Footnotes
[^1]: Portland Police Bureau, "UPDATE: Teen Criminally Charged with Attempted Murder, Terrorism Following September Incident at Benson HS" (published September 8, 2026, 1:54 p.m.; updated October 2, 2026, 4:28 p.m.; contains the September 8 and September 9 releases), https://www.portland.gov/police/news/2026/9/8/update-teen-criminally-charged-attempted-murder-terrorism-following-september
[^2]: Joni Auden Land, "Benson High School student faces domestic terrorism charges in chemical spill incident," OPB, October 2, 2026 (updated October 3, 2026), https://www.opb.org/article/2026/10/02/benson-high-school-student-chemical-charges-oregon/
[^3]: Portland Police Bureau, same page, "PPB, PF&R Respond to Incident at Benson High School," September 8, 2026.
[^4]: OPB staff, "Student involved in chemical spill at Benson High School expected to survive, police say," OPB, September 9, 2026, https://www.opb.org/article/2026/09/09/police-student-involved-in-chemical-spill-at-benson-high-school-expected-to-survive/
[^5]: "Student faces domestic terrorism charge for chemical incident," KATU, October 2026, https://katu.com/news/local/student-faces-domestic-terrorism-charge-for-chemical-incident-hazmat-benson-polytechnic-high-school-portland-oregon-judicial-department-investigation
[^6]: "Portland teen faces domestic terrorism charge," KPTV, October 2, 2026, https://www.kptv.com/2026/10/02/portland-teen-faces-domestic-terrorism-charge/
[^7]: MacKenzie Belley, Joelle Jones and Ariel Iacobazzi, "Benson student faces attempted murder, domestic terrorism charges after hazmat incident," KOIN, October 2, 2026, https://www.koin.com/news/portland/benson-polytechnic-student-domestic-terrorism-charge-hazmat-incident-court/
[^8]: Victor Park, "Benson High School case raises alarm over '764' online network targeting children," KATU, October 2026, https://katu.com/news/local/portland-benson-high-school-case-raises-alarm-over-764-online-network-targeting-children-social-media-fbi-portland-police-bureau-multnomah-county-portland-fire-rescue

158
40 - EVENTS/MODERN_INCIDENTS/2024 AUI UAP Workshop.md Normal file
View file

@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
---
category: "UFO & Anomalous Phenomena"
tags:
- Event
- UAP
- Workshop
- NSF
- AARO
- AcademicStudy
alias:
- 2024 AUI UAP Workshop
- 2024 UAP Workshop
- UAP Workshop 2024
- Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: A Dialogue on Science, Public Engagement and Communication
- 2025 UAP Workshop
- 2025 AARO UAP Workshop
- Narrative Data, Infrastructures, and Analysis
- NSF Award 2301922
- ASTRO ACCEL
summary: "Two invitation-only UAP workshops at Associated Universities, Inc. in Vienna, Virginia: May 15-17, 2024, paid by a $25,000 National Science Foundation supplement, and August 5-6, 2025, sponsored by the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office."
start: 2024-05-15
end: 2025-08-06
location: "Vienna, Virginia"
relations:
- type: funded
with: "[[National Science Foundation]]"
reverse: true
start: 2023-06
role: "$25,000 supplement to ASTRO ACCEL award 2301922 (made to Associated Universities, Inc.; start date June 1, 2023, expiration December 31, 2026) to host the 2024 workshop, per the workshop's executive summary"
fn: 1
- type: funded
with: "[[All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office]]"
reverse: true
start: 2025-08-05
end: 2025-08-06
role: "named as sponsor of the August 5-6, 2025 workshop (document 26-P-0344)"
fn: 2
- type: hosted
with: "[[Associated Universities, Inc.]]"
reverse: true
start: 2024-05-15
end: 2024-05-17
role: "venue given on the cover of the executive summary as its Vienna, Virginia headquarters"
fn: 5
- type: organized
with: "[[Tim Spuck]]"
reverse: true
start: 2024-05-15
end: 2024-05-17
role: "member of the 2024 planning committee (listed as 'NSF/AUI') and workshop facilitator"
fn: 5
- type: participant_in
with: "[[Gretchen Stahlman]]"
reverse: true
start: 2024-05-15
role: "member of the 2024 planning committee (Florida State University) and workshop facilitator"
fn: 5
- type: participant_in
with: "[[Leslie Kean]]"
reverse: true
start: 2024-05-15
end: 2024-05-17
role: "listed as a participant who agreed to be named, affiliation 'Independent'"
fn: 5
- type: participant_in
with: "[[Diana Walsh Pasulka]]"
reverse: true
start: 2024-05-15
end: 2024-05-17
role: "listed as a participant who agreed to be named, University of North Carolina Wilmington"
fn: 5
- type: participant_in
with: "[[Beatriz Villarroel]]"
reverse: true
start: 2024-05-15
end: 2024-05-17
role: "listed as a participant who agreed to be named, Nordita, Stockholm University; delivered a 30-minute virtual lecture"
fn: 5
- type: participant_in
with: "[[Vishnu Reddy]]"
reverse: true
start: 2024-05-15
end: 2024-05-17
role: "listed as a participant who agreed to be named, University of Arizona"
fn: 5
- type: participant_in
with: "[[Salman Hameed]]"
reverse: true
start: 2024-05-15
end: 2024-05-17
role: "listed as a participant who agreed to be named, Hampshire College / Kainaat Studios"
fn: 5
- type: participant_in
with: "[[Christian Stepien]]"
reverse: true
start: 2024-05-15
end: 2024-05-17
role: "listed as a participant who agreed to be named, National UFO Reporting Center"
fn: 5
- type: participant_in
with: "[[Jon Kosloski]]"
reverse: true
start: 2025-08-05
end: 2025-08-06
role: "described in the Society for UAP Studies report as emphasizing throughout the meeting that the office studies UAP as a potential deficit in domain awareness"
fn: 8
created: 2026-10-04
updated: 2026-10-04
---
The 2024 AUI UAP Workshop, titled "[[Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena]] (UAP): A Dialogue on Science, Public Engagement and Communication," was held May 15 to 17, 2024 by [[Associated Universities, Inc.]] (AUI), with [[Florida State University]] (FSU) co-leading, in [[Vienna, Virginia]].[^1] A second meeting, "2025 UAP Workshop: Narrative Data, Infrastructures, and Analysis," followed on August 5 and 6, 2025 at AUI, with the [[All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office]] (AARO) as sponsor. The 2025 invitation letter states that the 2025 event "builds upon a previous NSF-funded workshop held in 2024."[^2][^3]
### The National Science Foundation award
The 2024 workshop is attributed on its cover to "National Science Foundation, via [[ASTRO ACCEL]]; NSF Award #2301922." The [[National Science Foundation]] award database lists award 2301922 as "AccelNet-Implementation: The Global Network for Accelerating Synergies Through Research On Astronomy Culture, Communication, Education and Learning (ASTRO ACCEL)," made to Associated Universities, Inc. of Vienna, Virginia, under the AccelNet program of the Office of International Science and Engineering. The principal investigator is [[Tim Spuck]] (listed as Timothy Spuck); the co-principal investigators are [[Kelly Blumenthal]], [[Gretchen Stahlman]], [[Yasmin Catricheo]] and [[Tiffany Stone Wolbrecht]]. The record gives an initial award date of May 2, 2023, a start date of June 1, 2023, an expiration date of December 31, 2026 and a latest amendment date of December 2, 2025. Its funds-obligated field reads "FY 2023 = $1,615,193.00" and its estimated total amount reads 1,590,193. The program officer is listed as B. Jan Middendorf.[^4]
The award abstract describes a network of networks on astronomy culture, communication, education and learning.[^4] The workshop's executive summary states: "In June 2023, the NSF awarded a $25,000 supplement to the original ASTRO ACCEL grant (#2301922) to host the UAP Workshop."[^5]
### The May 2024 workshop
The executive summary, version dated June 8, 2024, lists a planning committee of [[Amanda Barrera]], Yasmin Catricheo and [[Anica Miller-Rushing]] of AUI; [[Saeed Salimpour]] of the [[International Astronomical Union]]; Tim Spuck, listed as "NSF/AUI"; and Gretchen Stahlman of FSU. The ASTRO ACCEL Core Organizing Group is listed as Amanda Barrera, Kelly Blumenthal, [[Nic Bonne]], Yasmin Catricheo, [[Bret Feranchak]], Anica Miller-Rushing, Saeed Salimpour, Gretchen Stahlman, Tim Spuck and Tiffany Stone Wolbrecht. The event was held at AUI's headquarters in Vienna, Virginia (the cover gives Suite 700, 2650 Park Tower Drive; the introduction places it in "the [[Washington, D.C.]] area"). The agenda lists a networking dinner on the evening of May 15; a first day on May 16 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with welcome remarks by Spuck, a session by Stahlman titled "UAP and Information," a breakout on the phases of information, a SETI panel, participant presentations and a breakout on educating about UAP; and a second day on May 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with the Villarroel lecture and a third breakout with working-group action planning. Eleven participants gave short presentations in two one-hour slots.[^5]
The summary lists as workshop participants "who explicitly agreed to be named": [[Jasodhara Bhattacharya]] ([[Independence Science]]); [[Laura Domine]] ([[Harvard University]], Center for Astrophysics); [[Salman Hameed]] ([[Hampshire College]] / [[Kainaat Studios]]); [[Leslie Kean]] (Independent); [[Jill Malusky]] ([[National Radio Astronomy Observatory]] and [[Green Bank Observatory]]); [[Michael McConville]] ([[International Planetarium Society]]); [[Dean Miskovich]] ([[Oil Region Astronomical Society]]); [[Steven Mitchell]] ([[Green Bank Pictures]] and AUI); [[Demitri Muna]] ([[Nightlight Research]]); [[Vishnu Reddy]] ([[University of Arizona]]); [[Bri Rodriguez]] (Florida State University); [[Christian Stepien]] ([[National UFO Reporting Center]]); [[Dan Tell]] ([[California Academy of Sciences]]); [[Beatriz Villarroel]] ([[Nordita]], [[Stockholm University]]); [[Diana Walsh Pasulka]] ([[University of North Carolina Wilmington]]); and [[Iya Whiteley]] (Center for Space Medicine, [[University College London]]).[^5]
The summary states: "Twenty-five participants were selected and agreed to attend. Three additional guest presenters engaged in limited participation virtually. Six ASTRO ACCEL organizers participated and facilitated, and an NSF program officer attended as an observer but did not formally participate." Primary areas of expertise are tabulated as astronomy (seven), government (four), education (three), visualization (three) and one each in anthropology, aviation, data management, journalism, library and information science, media production, oceanography, psychology, public information, religious studies and sociology. Two virtual guests, [[Simon Steel]] and [[Bill Diamond]], gave a one-hour panel on the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence on Day 1, and Villarroel gave a 30-minute lecture on detecting anomalous observations in astronomical plates. Expressions of interest were accepted between March and May 2024; the workshop was not publicized beforehand; the guidelines for conduct urged participants "to avoid taking photos or attributing statements to individuals without permission"; and FSU provided Institutional Review Board approval.[^5]
Pre-reads listed in the summary include the 2024 AARO historical record report, the [[Condon Committee|Condon]] report, the 2017 [[The New York Times]] article by [[Helene Cooper]], [[Ralph Blumenthal]] and Leslie Kean, a 2024 [[Sol Foundation]] paper by [[Tim Gallaudet]] ("Beneath the Surface"), the Sol Foundation paper "UAP in Crowded Skies," the 2023 article by Leslie Kean and Ralph Blumenthal in [[The Debrief]], the 2023 [[NASA]] UAP independent study report, and the 2021 [[Office of the Director of National Intelligence]] preliminary assessment.[^5]
Four working groups were proposed: curricular resources; a web portal; a citizen science application; and a follow-on event. The summary describes the application: "As an alternative to similar existing apps (such as Enigma Labs), this application would be citizen science oriented, not for profit, and open source." [[Enigma Labs]] describes itself as a "venture backed startup" and publishes the sightings app of that name.[^6] On the follow-on event the summary states: "A strong outcome of the workshop is a need for a follow-on event, ideally within six months," and the working group "began discussing how to fund and implement another workshop." Of 20 survey responses, 17 were "Very Satisfied." The summary lists integration into the ASTRO ACCEL Summit adjacent to the International Astronomical Union General Assembly in [[Cape Town]], [[South Africa]], August 3 to 5, 2024.[^5]
Florida State's College of Communication and Information posted a release on June 5, 2024 stating that the workshop "took place May 16-17 in Washington D.C." and "brought together 28 participants including physical and social scientists, communication and media experts, educators, aviation specialists, and government representatives." Stahlman is quoted in it: "Whatever UAP are, it isn't good for any of us if pilots are afraid to report unusual observations in the sky." The release records one comment from the workshop, to "make UAPs boring," and Stahlman's statement that "there is tremendous interest in organizing a follow-up workshop in the coming months."[^7] The Society for UAP Studies later reported the 2024 meeting as May 15 to 16.[^8]
Stahlman posted a paper on arXiv on March 22, 2024, "Closing the Information Gap in Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Studies," arXiv:2403.15368.[^9]
### The August 2025 workshop
The AARO paper "2025 UAP Workshop: Narrative Data, Infrastructures, and Analysis. Workshop Synthesis and Recommendations," bears the line "Workshop sponsored by: All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO)," the dates August 5 to 6, 2025, the venue "Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI)" and the document number 26-P-0344. Its executive summary states that the workshop "brought together 40 participants from government, academia, and independent research organizations," and the text adds: "Outside participation was limited due to budget constraints and institutional capacity." A pre-workshop social was held on the evening of August 4.[^2]
The invitation letter, signed "On behalf of the Organizing Committee" by Gretchen Stahlman (FSU School of Information) and Tim Spuck (AUI), states: "A new collaboration between the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI), and Florida State University (FSU) has convened to host the upcoming event on the topic of narrative data." It anticipated "a small group of 25-30 experts, including information and data science researchers and practitioners, and government stakeholders," offered lodging and most meals while stating "we are unable to compensate you for travel costs," and states that "all outcomes will be communicated promptly, publicly, and transparently." The guidelines for conduct state that the workshop would "NOT be focused on what UAP are or their origins." Attendees could choose name tags listing a first name with no institutional affiliation.[^2]
The recommended next steps are standardized metadata templates; a hybrid of qualitative expertise and AI with human oversight; adaptation of tools from genetics, astronomy and digital archives; triage of reports; capture of narrative context through interviews and oral histories; preservation of historical reports; enhancement of public reporting portals; and further workshops. The breakout on cleaning, organizing and linking data analyzed "a hypothetical online reporting form that has collected 1,000 UAP reports stored as PDF files," and its suggestions include a schema linkable to [[Federal Aviation Administration|FAA]] and NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System data and ADS-B flight tracks, and a field for whether the event was reported elsewhere, with NUFORC, [[MUFON]] and the FAA given as examples.[^2]
The [[Society for UAP Studies]] published a report by [[Greg Bishop]] dated September 2, 2025 stating that AARO and AUI "convened a symposium at the AUI headquarters in Vienna, Virginia," that it was "the second in a series of AUI-hosted symposia," and that "AARO director Kosloski emphasized that the mission of his office is to study UAP as a potential deficit in 'domain awareness.'" The report identifies the director as Acting Director Dr. [[Jon Kosloski|Jon T. Kosloski]].[^8]
On April 29, 2026 AUI's podcast "[[Beyond the Breakthrough]]" published an episode, "Making Sense of the Unknown," featuring Spuck (identified as director of education and public engagement at AUI) and Stahlman (assistant professor at Florida State). Its notes state: "the 2024 workshop, 'Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: A Dialogue on Science, Public Engagement and Communication' was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation, award 2301922. The 2025 workshop, 'Narrative Data, Infrastructures, and Analysis' was supported by the U.S. All-domain Anomaly Office."[^10]
### Footnotes
[^1]: Associated Universities, Inc. and Florida State University, "Executive Summary on the 2024 UAP Workshop," version June 8, 2024 (Zenodo record 12210158, published June 21, 2024, version 1.1), section "Workshop Process and Structure," https://zenodo.org/records/12210158 (archived PDF: https://web.archive.org/web/20260214015245/https://zenodo.org/records/12210158/files/UAP%20Workshop%20Executive%20Summary_ver1.1.pdf).
[^2]: All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, "2025 UAP Workshop: Narrative Data, Infrastructures, and Analysis. Workshop Synthesis and Recommendations," 26-P-0344, https://www.aaro.mil/Portals/136/PDFs/Information%20Papers/2025_UAP_Workshop_Paper.pdf (archived PDF: https://web.archive.org/web/20260927135859/https://www.aaro.mil/Portals/136/PDFs/Information%20Papers/2025_UAP_Workshop_Paper.pdf).
[^3]: Invitation letter, Appendix A of the 2025 workshop paper cited in note 2.
[^4]: National Science Foundation, Award Search record 2301922, https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2301922.json.
[^5]: Associated Universities, Inc. and Florida State University, "Executive Summary on the 2024 UAP Workshop," version June 8, 2024, https://zenodo.org/records/12210158 (archived PDF: https://web.archive.org/web/20260214015245/https://zenodo.org/records/12210158/files/UAP%20Workshop%20Executive%20Summary_ver1.1.pdf).
[^6]: Enigma Labs, FAQ page, Internet Archive capture of November 12, 2023, https://web.archive.org/web/20231112052159/https://enigmalabs.io/faq.
[^7]: "iSchool Assistant Professor Co-Leads NSF-Funded Workshop on UAP/UFO Communication," Florida State University College of Communication and Information, posted June 5, 2024, https://news.cci.fsu.edu/cci-news/cci-faculty/ischool-assistant-professor-co-leads-nsf-funded-workshop-on-uap-ufo-communication/.
[^8]: Greg Bishop, "AARO and AUI Engage Academia in UAP Symposium," Society for UAP Studies, September 2, 2025, https://www.societyforuapstudies.org/post/aaro-and-aui-engage-academia-in-uap-symposium.
[^9]: Gretchen R. Stahlman, "Closing the Information Gap in Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Studies," arXiv:2403.15368, submitted March 22, 2024, https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.15368.
[^10]: "Making Sense of the Unknown," Beyond the Breakthrough (Associated Universities, Inc. podcast), April 29, 2026, https://beyondthebreakthrough.podbean.com/e/uap-data/.