It’s been a busy month for our Ufology columnist Ryan Stacey
The 32-year-old Penetanguishene native has launched both The Experiencer Support Association (TESA) survey, as well as named Director of Investigations for MUFON Canada.
For the former, the launch of TESA means the collection of hard data and a place where people who have experienced the uncanny and supernatural can log their experiences.
The idea, for Stacey, is to have funnel all phenomenon from cryptids to UFOs to crop formations and astral projections in one database.
A new model was created for TESA, as some witness accounts were not being taken into consideration. In addition, the Canadian Current Events Survey will allow for researchers to compile and calculate characteristics at a given site.
“I’m thinking that from an investigator’s point of view, this is good data that’s being wasted,” he said, in January interview. “I was always trying to figure it out, telling people it’s important.”
TESA has been set to gather just the facts in an unbiased, unprejudiced reporting system.
When Stacey receives reports, they are often written as a blurb and sometimes they’re hard to dissect. The survey is designed to get all the information about an event and because of that thoroughness, it may deter people from making false claims.
“I could go to all the hotspots where everyone talks about them, but I’m more interested in the stuff that no one is talking about because there is stuff still happening,” Stacey said. “I need the data. But if I don’t have the data, I can’t justify the funds. I can’t justify the travelling.”
As for catching the aforementioned fraudsters, Stacey admitted the obvious narratives will present themselves. But there will be some difficulty with others.
Stacey is expanding his reporting coverage as he looks to gather
eyewitness accounts of the preternatural across Canada with
TESA.
“I might even ask them to say the event backwards. People can only lie moving forward,” he said.
“Credibility is measured in the same way. The more the witness cooperates the stronger the case could be.”
Additionally, Stacey wants to work with other investigative groups such as MUFON NUFORC and PSICAN. He’s even enlisted fixtures of the ufology realm to help consult on the project, including Richard Dolan, Grant Cameron and Linda Moulton Howe.
Currently, TESA is comprised of a three-team unit, including reiki healer Priscilla McNamara and hypnotherapist Lesley Mitchell-Clarke.
As for the aesthetic of the fledgling organization, the logo is the ancient Sumerian cuneiform for the god Anu, who is the watcher of watchers and emblematic of the first ancient astronaut theories.
Unfortunately, MUFON is not interested in using the data collected through the new website, but that hasn’t changed their standing with Stacey.
After naming Stacey their Director of Investigations for Canada, it seems the two projects will work in concert with each other.
Joining Stacey on the National Board of Directors is Janny Charrueau as National Assistant Director of Investigations; Simon Hébert as National Chief Investigator for Aboriginal Affairs and Dave Palachick as National Assistant Director.