Roger N. Shepard

Roger N. Shepard (born 1910 in Chicago, Illinois, USA) was an American astrophysicist and astronomer. He served as Professor of Astronomy and Chairman of the Department at Northwestern University from 1960, previously as Chief of Upper Atmosphere Studies and Satellite Tracking at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (1956-1960), and held positions at Ohio State University and Yerkes Observatory. Shepard contributed to UAP/UFO research by participating in the 1968 UFO Symposium organized by NICAP, where he discussed UFO sightings scientifically. In 1952, he pursued research into UFOs following a scientific hunch about their potential importance. He referenced his 1953 paper in the Journal of the Optical Society of America (JOSA 43, pp. 311-314), addressing UFO phenomena and criticizing media handling since Kenneth Arnold's 1947 sighting. No known military UFO program involvement or testimony before Congress is documented.