Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies
The Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies (SCU) is an American civilian research group founded in 2017 that studies unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) using scientific methods.
The Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies (SCU) is an American civilian research group that seeks to study unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) using scientific methods. According to its director, Robert Powell, he and a few colleagues founded it in 2017 because they felt there was not enough science in MUFON's work.
Membership and operations
In an interview, Powell spoke of about 420 members, of whom, by his estimate, roughly 32 percent hold a doctorate and 58 percent hold at least a master's degree, most often in engineering, astronomy or physics. Also according to Powell, the organization's reports are reviewed by other scientists before publication. Members' views differ: some think the evidence is not yet sufficient, while others are convinced that non-human intelligence is at times present in the atmosphere.
Notable investigations
- Nimitz case (2004): the SCU produced an analysis of nearly 200 pages on the U.S. Navy's UAP sighting off the coast of California.
- Aguadilla case (2013): after analyzing the infrared footage and radar data of the Puerto Rico incident, the SCU concluded that the object moved at a speed greater than 100 miles per hour (about 160 km/h), was able to enter the water, and that its behavior cannot be explained by any known phenomenon. By contrast, a March 2025 report by AARO, the Pentagon's UAP office, identified the phenomenon with moderate confidence as sky lanterns. According to the report, the object was two objects drifting with the wind at roughly 13 km/h, and the appearance of submerging into the water was caused by the objects' thermal signatures blending into the ocean background.
Relationship to official investigations
The SCU is a civilian organization. The U.S. government's UAP investigations are carried out by the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), which is part of the Pentagon.