Overview
Michael Shermer, the founder and publisher of Skeptic magazine, has been appointed to the newly formed White House UAP Science Advisory Council, according to an announcement released by Skeptic and The Skeptics Society on June 15, 2026. The council was established at the request of the White House and is being coordinated with the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the FBI, and other government agencies, reflecting a continued push to examine unidentified anomalous phenomena with greater scientific rigor.
Shermer’s appointment places a prominent scientific skeptic on a panel designed to advise on one of the most politically and publicly scrutinized subjects in federal science and defense circles. In the announcement, he emphasized that science advances by examining anomalies with curiosity and methodological discipline, adding that he was honored to serve alongside a group of accomplished scientists and scholars. His inclusion signals an effort to balance open inquiry with critical analysis in a field often shaped by speculation and inconsistent evidence.
Council Composition and Expertise
The council brings together specialists from a wide range of disciplines, underscoring the government’s interest in treating UAP as a complex research problem rather than a single-field mystery. Among those named are astrophysicist and Galileo Project founder Avi Loeb, oceanographer and former Acting NOAA Administrator Tim Gallaudet, Stanford molecular biologist Garry Nolan, and several researchers focused on artificial intelligence, data analysis, instrumentation, and human factors. The blend of expertise suggests the council will examine everything from sensor performance and environmental conditions to the psychology of reporting and interpretation.
Other appointees include Dr. Richard Cloete, a Galileo Project postdoctoral fellow specializing in AI-driven data analysis; Dr. Devesh Nandal, who works in numerical analysis and astrophysics; Dr. Omer Eldadi, whose background spans data management, AI, and human psychology; Dr. Regina Sarmiento, a researcher focused on AI-assisted data analysis; Prof. Peter Skafish, an anthropologist; and Prof. Matthew Szydagis, a physicist specializing in instrumentation and detector technology. Taken together, the roster points to a council intended to evaluate UAP evidence through technical, scientific, and cultural lenses.
Broader Significance
Shermer’s role is notable not only because of his public profile, but because it reflects an institutional desire to engage voices associated with scientific skepticism alongside researchers more directly involved in UAP studies. For years, the debate over UAP has often been polarized between believers, skeptics, and national security officials. The creation of a formal advisory body with such a broad scientific base indicates that federal stakeholders are seeking a more structured approach to unresolved cases, particularly those involving sensor data, classification issues, and the quality of evidence.
Founded in 1992, Skeptic magazine and The Skeptics Society have long promoted science, reason, and critical thinking through publishing, education, research, and public outreach. Shermer has also been known for publicly debating claims of extraterrestrial technology, including a wager with Avi Loeb, making his appointment especially emblematic of the council’s attempt to merge open-minded inquiry with rigorous standards of proof. As UAP research continues to move from the margins toward the mainstream, the White House-backed advisory council may become an important test of whether the subject can be studied more systematically—and with greater transparency—than in the past.
