Hey all! If you are reading this article, then the title is pretty important, and also important to your work. We are putting some security changes in place in the current version of CMS and there may be some unexpected results. New code, new issues. It is the life of anyone in the IT world.

So, when filling out a ticket to let us know it is happening to you, please consider that we will need the following information in the ticket to help us get to the root of the issue:

• Your MUFON ID
• The device you are using (PC, Laptop, phone)
• What Internet Browser you are using (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, etc etc)
• The version of the browser. Usually found in the Help -> About section (the three dots or the hamburger icon in the upper right of the browser, for most browsers)
• If the issue is with just one case, or happens no matter what case you are looking at

This information should accompany every ticket request, unless it is for a Feature Request, but I thought I would try and give you all a heads up about it.

Thanks!

MUFON IT Team

Introduction

In the ever-evolving world of UFO investigations, one organization stands at the forefront as the Gold Standard: The Mutual UFO Network (MUFON). For years, MUFON University has served as a bastion of knowledge and training for field investigators. Teri Lynge-Kehl had a vision in 2010 to bring about a uniform process and standard of training. Finding the right team to assist this process came to fruition in 2022. Now, propelled by the visionary minds of Teri Kehl, Mindy Tautfest, and Jim Millard, MUFON University is undergoing a remarkable transformation and taking a giant leap forward. With updated training courses, engaging videos, and an innovative, fresh new curriculum, the overhaul aims to revolutionize the way certified field investigators with MUFON approach their work. This article explores the remarkable efforts behind this transformation.

Building on a Legacy

MUFON University has long been revered for its commitment to excellence in UFO research education. However, recognizing the need to adapt to the advancements of the digital age, Teri Kehl, Kevin Kehl, Mindy Tautfest, and Jim Millard united their expertise to revamp the institution. Combining their passion for education, technological acumen, and deep understanding of the UFO field, this formidable team embarked on a mission to bring MUFON University into a new era.

A Vision for the Future

Under the team’s leadership, MUFON University is undergoing radical transformation. With a vision to enhance the learning experience and attract a new generation of certified field investigators, the team has focused on incorporating cutting-edge technologies and modern pedagogical techniques into the curriculum. By leveraging the power of multimedia, the revamped university aims to provide students with an immersive and engaging learning environment they can enjoy at their own pace. These new additions will provide students with a unique perspective, offering a glimpse into the fieldwork and challenges faced by certified field investigators.

The Curriculum Reimagined

Central to the revamp of MUFON University is the development of a fresh new curriculum. The Team has meticulously redesigned the courses to reflect the latest advancements in the field. The curriculum now covers a wide range of topics, evidence collection and analysis, witness interviews, and legal considerations. Each course has been carefully crafted to equip aspiring investigators with the knowledge and skills necessary to tackle the complexities of UFO research.

Moreover, the new curriculum emphasizes critical thinking and scientific methodology, instilling in field investigators a rigorous and evidence-based approach. By encouraging a multidisciplinary perspective, MUFON University aims to foster a collaborative environment that draws from various fields, such as biology, astronomy, physics, statistics, psychology, and more. This holistic approach enables students to delve deeper into the mysteries of UFO phenomena.

A Fresh Look, A New Approach

The revamping of MUFON University extends beyond just content and technology. The design and aesthetics of the online platform and redesigned forms have also been given a fresh new look. The user interface has been streamlined to ensure easy navigation, while vibrant visuals and engaging graphics add to the overall appeal. The user experience has been at the forefront of the redesign, with the aim of creating an intuitive and immersive environment that motivates MUFON Volunteer certified field investigators to dive into their studies.

New Year, New Info about UFOs!

Project Aquarius began 35 years ago as the Pandora Project. The idea was to digitize various historical collections given to MUFON over the years. MUFON also has the Project MARRS files, which consist of about 7,000 paper UFO reports mailed to MUFON before it began computerizing its database around 1995. MARRS is short for the MUFON Archives Records Retention System.

All of this has beautifully come together in time to offer members and researchers in 2023 a treasure box of material rarely encountered in ufology. It will be a taste of the new, the old, and the forgotten. Many luminaries in the UFO field participated over these last three-and-a-half decades in researching and creating this database, including John Schuessler, Clifford Clift, Richard Hoffman, Michael Swords, Robert Powell, and others. We thank them all. Most recently, MUFON Board Member Debbie Ziegelmeyer and Colorado State Director Katie Paige led teams redacting witness contact information behind digital walls so that MUFON could safely offer its archived library of historical reports to the public. Anonymity is first and foremost MUFON’s primary concern with UFO witnesses.

Project Aquarius currently consists of:

1. Old MARRS paper reports between 1967 and 1995, when MUFON went digital. These paper reports are fresh new evidence never seen by the public before and will add a new dimension to UFO research.

2. A drawings gallery of UFO shapes, entity types and symbols submitted by MUFON witnesses. The drawings will be grouped by craft type, entity type, and more and consist of over 7,000 illustrations from 135,000 cases, most not released earlier.

3. A free public domain library of thousands of newspaper articles about UFOs, many eventually being classified into categories such as “orbs” and “airships of 1896–7.”

4. Digitized MUFON Journals between 1967 and 2010, which encompass the Journal’s predecessor publication, Skylook.

5. The Edward J. Ruppelt files (Ruppelt was the first chief of Project Blue Book). The above material is slated for the initial launch at Christmas 2023. In the Spring of 2024 and continuing through the Autumn, Aquarius will be expanded to include:

• All MUFON Symposium Proceedings
• Additional UFO drawings from submitted cases
• Additional newspaper articles
• The Hayden C. Hewes collection, donated by Mindy
  Tautfest
• The Craig Lang collection, donated by Minnesota MUFON

7. The MUFON upgraded multi-level UFO map with levels including:

• a.) The entire MUFON CMS with all digital watermarked videos and photos
• b.) The entire NICAP chronology, thanks to Fran Ridge
• c.) A first-of-its-kind USO map laid out by latitude and longitude
• d.) The NUFORC database
• e.) The Swedish and Norwegian UFO databases MUFON is reaching out to Argentina, Italy, and
• Germany for their databases, also to be mapped, and in return for their cooperation, MUFON
• hopes to develop a UFO map app of their databases, which they could then sell.

Finally, MUFON is also reaching out to CUFOS to establish a cooperative effort. Additionally, MUFON is looking for volunteer collections to help make this the largest online UFO information library in the world. As such, the organization will be attempting to advance cooperation with various universities and private collectors, such as Barry Greenwood, David Marler and others to create an ever-larger network of UFO resources.

The cost? Researcher level memberships cost just $399.00 per year and include all the benefits of VIP membership but with additional access to the Project Aquarius library. Should you not want a MUFON membership, we offer access to this library as a stand-alone subscription at fifty dollars per year. This is the ultimate Christmas gift when you are out of ideas. Give the gift of new UFO research possibilities! How unique! How essential! Be part of the answer! Gift your researcher family member or friend a one-year fifty-dollar subscription to the truth and to possible answers!

MUFON’s projects take money, of course. MUFON is a nonprofit that maintains a vast 135,000-case UFO database housed on expensive servers. It publishes a monthly magazine at marginal profit, hosts an in-member social network, a twice monthly newsletter, and a symposium searching out top-notch talent for speakers each year. Income from memberships, the MUFON Store, donations, and symposium registrations, as well as the efforts of hundreds of devoted volunteers, thankfully sustain it from year to year.

As a result, it is more than likely the largest civilian UFO case-investigatory organization in the world, and it seeks to export its acquired knowledge and experience widely. Always has. If the UFO phenomenon is to be understood, then cases need to be investigated, witnesses interviewed, articles written and published, and the public informed.

Please join us in this effort.