Close Encounters, Space Travel on Agenda for UFO Symposium

OMAHA – Are aliens among us? Fans of “The X-Files”, “The Twilight Zone,” or those who are just curious about extraterrestrial research will enjoy an upcoming UFO Symposium on the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) campus.

The UNO Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) UFO Society, the Omaha UFO Study Group and Nebraska MUFON are hosting the event, which is set for Friday, Nov. 20, from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. The Symposium is open to the public and will be held in the College of Public Affairs and Community Service Building (CPACS room 101). No permit is required to park on campus after 5 p.m. on Fridays.

Tickets are $10 per person and available at the door the night of the event. UNO students get in for free with a MavCard. Proceeds go toward the purchase of research equipment as well as student scholarships.

This will be the sixth year of the event. Like years before, attendees will hear from a variety of local and regional speakers researching UFO phenomenon.

Highlights will include the first public display of a space warp engine being developed by UNO Professor Dave Pares, new information in a nearly 50-year-old UFO sighting out of Ashland, Neb., and details on two recent cases out of Vietnam and Iraq.

The day’s agenda is as follows. For more information, email unoufostudygroup@gmail.com.

5:00 p.m. Doors Open, free parking on campus

6:00 - 6:05 p.m. Welcome by Kyle Finley

6:05 - 6:45 p.m. Steve Snodgrass, “Alien Ontology”

6:45 - 6:55 p.m. Break

6:55 - 7:15 p.m. Rich Kaszynski “Image Analysis”

7:15 - 7:55 p.m. Beverly Trout “Connecting Dots in UFO Research and Aliens: A Mixed Bag”

7:55 - 8:05 p.m. Break

8:05 - 8:50 p.m. Dave Pares, “Space Warp Engine Model #14"

8:50 - 9:00 p.m. Break

9:00 - 9:50 p.m. Greg Andersen, “Schirmer and more!”

9:50- 10:00 p.m. Q&A/Panel

Speaker Bios

Steve Snodgrass is president of the Omaha UFO Study Group and an independent writer/researcher in the field of UFOlogy. Snodgrass will explore common questions about aliens: What are they? Where do they come from? What can we do about it?

Rich Kaszynski is long time UFO researcher as well as a photography expert. In his presentation he will discuss different methods of analyzing pictures by exploring the details found within photos. Attendees will learn how to tell if a photographic is authentic or digitally altered.

Beverly Trout is the Assistant State Director and Chief Investigator for the Iowa Chapter of MUFON. Trout will compare and contrast UFO witness reports. Examples include recent cases she is investigating out of Vietnam and Iraq.

Dave Pares is an adjunct professor of physics, geography and meteorology and faculty advisor for the UNO UFO Study Group and the UNO Paranormal Society. Pares will provide an update on his newly designed Model 14 space warp engine. This will be the first time that this engine will be displayed to the public.

Greg Andersen is the Iowa State Director for MUFON. Andersen will discuss a reported Ashland, Neb. sighting in 1967. Andersen’s presentation includes new revelations behind the case, uncovered from the donated collection of former Omaha World-Herald and Lincoln Journal Star journalist Hub Ogden.

Kyle Finley is a UNO student and the president and founder of the UNO MUFON Study Group and one of the founders for the UNO Paranormal Society. He is also a field investigator for MUFON Nebraska.

For questions or media requests, please contact:

Sam Petto, UNO Media Relations Coordinator
unonews@unomaha.edu
402.554.2704

or

Charley Reed, UNO Associate Director of Media Relations
unonews@unomaha.edu
402.554.2129

About the University of Nebraska at Omaha

Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.

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