NASA Director of UAP Research
{{Infobox office
| post = Director of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Research
| department = NASA
| formation = {{start date|2023|09|14}}
| incumbent = Mark McInerney
}}
The Director of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Research at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) oversees investigation of unidentified flying objects (UFOs).
Background
The Administrator of NASA, Bill Nelson, announced the creation of the position on September 14, 2023. It was created upon the recommendation of NASA's UAP independent study team.{{Cite news |last=Chang |first=Kenneth |date=September 14, 2023 |title=NASA Introduces New U.F.O. Research Director |page=A.18 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/14/science/nasa-ufo-uap-report.html |url-status=live |access-date=September 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230915154244/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/14/science/nasa-ufo-uap-report.html |archive-date=September 15, 2023}} Nelson stated that the identity of the person who holds this position would be kept secret to prevent harassment.{{Cite news |last1=Wilson |first1=Christopher |last2=Stableford |first2=Dylan |date=September 14, 2023 |title=NASA says it will appoint secret UFO chief |work=Yahoo! News |url=https://news.yahoo.com/nasa-ufo-uap-director-space-agency-alien-corpses-mexico-171556223.html |url-status=live |access-date=September 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230914214618/https://news.yahoo.com/nasa-ufo-uap-director-space-agency-alien-corpses-mexico-171556223.html |archive-date=September 14, 2023}} However, hours later, NASA announced that the position would be held by Mark McInerney.
The need for research into unidentified anomalous phenomena originates from national security concerns post-WWII, the expansion of adversarial technology as a consequence of the Space Race, and growing interests from the international community.{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=July 26, 2023 |title=Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Implications on National Security, Public Safety, and Government Transparency |page= |work=U.S. Congress |url=https://www.congress.gov/event/118th-congress/house-event/116282/text |access-date=July 26, 2023 |archive-url= |archive-date=}}{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=March 27, 2024 |title=Close Encounters of the National Security Kind |page= |work=Council on Foreign Relations |url=https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/ufos-close-encounters-national-security-kind |access-date=March 27, 2024 |archive-url= |archive-date=}}{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=July 26, 2023 |title=UAPs Present a Clear Threat to U.S. National Security, Former Military Pilots, Intelligence Officials Say |page= |work=U.S. News & World Report |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2023-07-26/ufos-what-the-government-calls-uaps-present-a-clear-threat-to-u-s-national-security-former-military-pilots-intelligence-officials-say |access-date=July 26, 2023 |archive-url= |archive-date=}}{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=July 6, 2024 |title=Joey Florez, author of 'The Psychology of UAP,' explains historical sightings in the Baltic states |page= |work=The Baltic Times |url=https://www.baltictimes.com/joey_florez__author_of__the_psychology_of_uap____explains_historical_sightings_in_the_baltic_states/ |url-status=live |access-date=July 6, 2024 | issn=2592-8988 |type=print |archive-url=https://link.gale.com/apps/pub/69NK/AONE |archive-date=July 6, 2024}}