The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) convened a private, invite-only workshop with approximately 40 participants from government, academia, and independent research organizations, as reported by DefenseScoop on March 16, 2026.
Workshop Details
The workshop was officially hosted by Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI) in the Washington, D.C. area. The agenda focused on exploring best practices for collecting and storing narrative data associated with UAP sightings, methods to integrate data from disparate organizations, and the application of artificial intelligence to large-scale UAP datasets for pattern recognition.
Participants included representatives from government agencies, university researchers, and independent civilian research groups.
Key Findings
The workshop produced multiple findings documented in a published whitepaper. Among them: effective progress on UAP research requires clear standards and common reporting templates with robust metadata; linking across datasets must balance interoperability with privacy, ethical, and classification constraints; and credibility of UAP reports is best assessed through corroboration, with a need for automated filtering methods.
Significance
The workshop represents AARO’s first known structured engagement with civilian researchers specifically aimed at standardizing UAP data practices. It occurred as AARO’s caseload exceeded 2,000 reports and as calls from both Congress and the executive branch for increased transparency continued to intensify.
The event also followed criticism from some civilian researchers who have argued that UAP data should be kept separate from Pentagon control. That position was voiced publicly following the workshop’s disclosure.
Context
AARO was established in 2022 to serve as the Defense Department’s centralized office for UAP investigation. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated in February 2026 that the Pentagon is prepared to deliver on President Trump’s directive to release UAP-related government records. The office’s approach to civilian engagement and data-sharing will be a factor in how those disclosure efforts proceed.