# Kevin Knuth

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**Kevin Hunter Knuth** (born 1965)[1] is a Professor of Physics at the [University at Albany (SUNY)](/source/University_at_Albany,_SUNY).[3] Knuth conducts research in [information physics](/source/Information_theory), [foundations of quantum mechanics](/source/Quantum_foundations), and [Bayesian analysis](/source/Bayesian_inference) with applications towards various problems in physics.[4] He also conducts research into [UFOs.](/source/UFO)[5]

## Education

Knuth was born in [Fond du Lac, Wisconsin](/source/Fond_du_Lac,_Wisconsin). He received a Bachelor of Science in physics and mathematics[6] from the [University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh](/source/University_of_Wisconsin%E2%80%93Oshkosh) in 1988, a Master of Science in physics from [Montana State University](/source/Montana_State_University) in 1990, and a PhD in physics (with a minor in mathematics) from the [University of Minnesota](/source/University_of_Minnesota) (1995), where he was supervised by John H. Broadhurst.[4]

## Career

After receiving his doctorate, Knuth taught in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences of the [Graduate Center, CUNY](/source/Graduate_Center,_CUNY), the Departments of Otolaryngology and Neuroscience of the [Albert Einstein College of Medicine](/source/Albert_Einstein_College_of_Medicine), and the Department of Physiology and Biophysics of the [Cornell University Medical Center](/source/Cornell_University_Medical_Center).[6] He also worked as a researcher at the [Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research](/source/Nathan_Kline_Institute_for_Psychiatric_Research) from 1999 to 2001 and at [NASA](/source/NASA)'s [Ames Research Center](/source/Ames_Research_Center) from 2001 to 2005.[3][7][6][8] It was reported by [WAMC](/source/WAMC) that Knuth's NASA work included "designing [artificial intelligence](/source/Artificial_intelligence) algorithms for [astrophysical](/source/Astrophysical) data analysis" at the Intelligent Systems Division.[3] In 2004, [NASA Earth Science](/source/NASA_Earth_Science) selected a project of Knuth's during his tenure with Ames at [Moffett Federal Airfield](/source/Moffett_Federal_Airfield) to investigate, called *Rapid Characterization of Causal Interactions among Climate/Weather System Variables: An Advanced Information-Theoretic Technique*.[9]

He became an assistant professor of physics at the [University at Albany](/source/University_at_Albany)[10][7][5][8] in 2005, was promoted to associate professor in 2009 and to professor in 2023.[4] *[Vice](/source/Vice_(magazine))* identified Knuth's academic focus as [machine learning](/source/Machine_learning) and [exoplanets](/source/Exoplanets).[7] According to the *[Associated Press](/source/Associated_Press)*, Knuth has performed additional scientific research related to "[cyberphysics](/source/Cyberphysics) and [robotics](/source/Robotics) and foundations of [quantum theory](/source/Quantum_mechanics)".[6]

He has been [editor-in-chief](/source/Editor-in-chief) of the [MDPI](/source/MDPI) journal [*Entropy*](/source/Entropy_(journal))[3][11] since 2012.[4] Knuth has presented at the [Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics](/source/Max_Planck_Institute_for_Plasma_Physics) in [Garching](/source/Garching), [Germany](/source/Germany), *Vice* reported.[7]

## UFO research

In 2021, *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)* identified Knuth as an expert in UFOs, writing that he is "among the UFO researchers who have shared their expertise with high school students."[10] Knuth is regularly quoted in the media on the topic of [UFOs](/source/UFO).[8][12][10][13][7] *[Space.com](/source/Space.com)* identified Knuth as an "active UAP researcher" in 2022.[5] According to Knuth, his interests in UFOs began during his time at [Montana State University](/source/Montana_State_University) (MSU).[10] *The Guardian* reported that in 1988 there was a [cattle mutilation](/source/Cattle_mutilation) claim near MSU.[10] Additionally, Knuth told *The Guardian* of professors telling him of the [Malmstrom UFO incident](/source/Malmstrom_UFO_incident).[10] Knuth attributed his beliefs on UFO matters to [Robert Hastings](/source/Robert_Hastings_(ufologist)).[10]

The *Associated Press* highlighted that Knuth had written of his belief that UFOs were "worthy of serious scientific study", but recognized many dismissed the matter as [pseudoscience](/source/Pseudoscience).[6] *[Texas Public Radio](/source/Texas_Public_Radio)* (TPR) identified a paper Knuth authored, *Estimating Flight Characteristics of Anomalous Unidentified Aerial Vehicles*, and that it "included case studies from 1951 to present day, which included sightings of objects near the [USS Nimitz aircraft carrier](/source/Pentagon_UFO_videos) in 2004."[8] He serves as vice president of UAPx, a nonprofit organization that aims to conduct [field research](/source/Field_research) about UFOs, sometimes referred to as UAP,[14] and is a research affiliate of [The Galileo Project](/source/The_Galileo_Project) for the systematic scientific search for evidence of extraterrestrial technological artifacts at [Harvard University](/source/Harvard_University).[15]

TPR observed that Knuth was "disappointed there has not been more serious study done by scientists" on the matter of UFOs.[8] According to TPR, Knuth believes the "most likely" explanation for UFOs is they "to assume they're built by a government or an aerospace company", but that if so, it could require "multiple technological leapfrogs".[8] The *[Associated Press](/source/Associated_Press)* reported that in 2021 Knuth would be working with the "[U.S. Navy](/source/U.S._Navy) on a research vessel off the [California](/source/California) coast" on UFO-related research.[6] Leonard David in *[Space.com](/source/Space.com)* noted that Knuth believed scientific research related to UFOs was better decentralized in approach but sharing data, as "independent scientific studies."[12]

## Media appearances

- [Netflix](/source/Netflix)'s *Encounters*, (episode 3).[3]
- [National Geographic](/source/National_Geographic)'s *UFOs: Investigating the Unknown*, (season 2, episode 3).[3]

## References

1. Knuth, Kevin H. (2005). ["Lattice duality: The origin of probability and entropy"](https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0925231205001165). *Neurocomputing*. **67**: 245–274. [doi:10.1016/j.neucom.2004.11.039](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neucom.2004.11.039). [hdl:2060/20040081076](https://hdl.handle.net/2060/20040081076)

1. Knuth, Kevin H. ["Dynamics of the human auditory cortex in response to periodic auditory stimulation - ProQuest"](https://www.proquest.com/openview/249a09d5ca5fe4e400290f149a0a8201/1?cbl=18750). *www.proquest.com*

1. ["UFO, UAP and USO with Dr. Kevin Knuth 8/6/25"](https://www.wamc.org/podcast/vox-pop/2025-08-06/ufo-uap-and-uso-with-dr-kevin-knuth-8-6-25). *[WAMC](/source/WAMC)*. 2025-08-06. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250809201849/https://www.wamc.org/podcast/vox-pop/2025-08-06/ufo-uap-and-uso-with-dr-kevin-knuth-8-6-25) 2025-08-09 at the Wayback Machine.

1. ["Kevin Knuth"](https://www.albany.edu/physics/faculty/kevin-knuth). *Physics faculty*. University at Albany. Retrieved 2024-03-22.

1. David, Leonard (2022-07-18). ["How big a deal is NASA's new UFO study?"](https://www.space.com/nasa-study-ufo-research-impact). *[Space.com](/source/Space.com)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220718101717/https://www.space.com/nasa-study-ufo-research-impact) 2022-07-18 at the Wayback Machine.

1. Edwards, Linda (2020-12-20). ["How to see the 'Christmas star' above Albany"](https://www.houstonchronicle.com/7dayarchive/article/How-to-see-Wise-Men-s-Christmas-star-above-Albany-15811906.php). *[Associated Press](/source/Associated_Press)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210105031156/https://www.houstonchronicle.com/7dayarchive/article/How-to-see-Wise-Men-s-Christmas-star-above-Albany-15811906.php) 2021-01-05 at the Wayback Machine.

1. ["This Silicon Valley Startup Is Dedicated to Detecting UFOs Off the California Coast"](https://www.vice.com/en/article/this-silicon-valley-startup-is-dedicated-to-detecting-ufos-off-the-california-cost/). *Vice*. Retrieved 3 November 2022.

1. Clayton, Jerry (2021-06-19). ["Physicist Takes A Serious Look At Unidentified Aerial Phenomena"](https://www.tpr.org/science-technology/2021-06-18/physicist-takes-a-serious-look-at-unidentified-aerial-phenomena). *[Texas Public Radio](/source/Texas_Public_Radio)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210619030221/https://www.tpr.org/science-technology/2021-06-18/physicist-takes-a-serious-look-at-unidentified-aerial-phenomena) 2021-06-19 at the Wayback Machine.

1. ["NASA's Office of Earth Science Awards Six Grants for Advanced Information Systems Technology"](https://esto.nasa.gov/ist-mini-nra-selections-announced). *[NASA Earth Science](/source/NASA_Earth_Science)*. 2004-08-19. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210224171221/https://esto.nasa.gov/ist-mini-nra-selections-announced/) 2021-02-24 at the Wayback Machine.

1. Jacobson, Linda (2021-06-09). ["The truth about UFOs is out there, and US students are trying to find it"](https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/jun/09/ufo-science-classes-us-students). *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210609072819/https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/jun/09/ufo-science-classes-us-students) 2021-06-09 at the Wayback Machine.

1. ["Editorial Board"](https://www.mdpi.com/journal/entropy/editors). *Entropy*. MDPI. Retrieved 2022-07-21.

1. David, Leonard (2022-01-21). ["2022 could be a turning point in the study of UFOs"](https://www.space.com/2022-turning-point-study-ufos-uap). *Space.com*. Retrieved 2022-07-20.

1. Will, Markus. ["Zahlen, bitte! 3 Prozent unerklärliche UFO-Beobachtungen"](https://www.heise.de/hintergrund/Zahlen-bitte-3-unerklaerliche-UFO-Beobachtungen-7101849.html) (in German). *heise online*. Retrieved 3 November 2022.

1. Grossman, David (2019-10-30). ["Ex-Military, NASA Veterans Form UFO Research Group"](https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/a29628228/military-nasa-veterans-form-ufo-group/). *Popular Mechanics*. Retrieved 2022-07-20.

1. ["Research Affiliates"](https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/galileo/organization/affiliates). *The Galileo Project*. Retrieved 28 July 2022.

## External links

- [Kevin Knuth](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12823293/) at IMDb
- Knuth Information Physics Lab
- [UAPx](https://www.uapexpedition.org/) Nonprofit UAP research organization

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Kevin Knuth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Knuth) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Knuth?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.