PRISM explores paranormal activity in UTM, local area
Spencer Taylor
Issue date: 10/28/09 Section: Arts & Entertainment
Students looking to explore the afterlife or canvas the area in search of the paranormal need look no further than UTM's premier paranormal research group, PRISM.
PRISM (Parapsychology Research and Investigation Society of Martin) is a group founded a few years ago by Casey McCasland, a senior Fine and Performing Arts major. McCasland has held a Paranormal/Parapsychology certification for six years, and is a veteran of many investigations.
"Certification is more or less a formality than anything really. Anyone can be a ghost hunter but you must be certified in order to take on clients professionally. While I also trained as an instructor I had to attend special classes and take lots of tests and fieldwork (236 cases total) to just become one. It took 3 years just to get an instructor's credit. But a regular investigator can take a few days," McCasland said.
Although many people may have doubts or reservations about such a group, McCasland feels that his team is a professional group that stays away from the stereotypes many may associate with ghost hunting.
"We are social scientists because we study people and their perception. We do legit scientific research by using various methods that integrate physics, sociology, physics, and psychology on our investigations as well as tools such as the EMF (Electro-Magnetic Field) meter, Thermometer, Audio/Video tools and various other things," McCasland said. "We do not practice anything doing with the occult such as Ouija Boards, séances or any divinity tools primarily because you can't back those up with science."
PRISM currently consists of seven core investigators, and McCasland hopes to take on recruits throughout the semester and expand the group to have organization status on campus.
McCasland acknowledged the possibility of controversy surrounding the topic of life after death, yet he felt the members of PRISM are united by a common goal.
"I am a firm Christian and even though most of our members vary in religion we all are doing what every major religion tries to do and that's prove there is life after death and yes they may go to heaven and hell; for some people being trapped on earth because of some traumatic event is their hell," McCasland said.
PRISM (Parapsychology Research and Investigation Society of Martin) is a group founded a few years ago by Casey McCasland, a senior Fine and Performing Arts major. McCasland has held a Paranormal/Parapsychology certification for six years, and is a veteran of many investigations.
"Certification is more or less a formality than anything really. Anyone can be a ghost hunter but you must be certified in order to take on clients professionally. While I also trained as an instructor I had to attend special classes and take lots of tests and fieldwork (236 cases total) to just become one. It took 3 years just to get an instructor's credit. But a regular investigator can take a few days," McCasland said.
Although many people may have doubts or reservations about such a group, McCasland feels that his team is a professional group that stays away from the stereotypes many may associate with ghost hunting.
"We are social scientists because we study people and their perception. We do legit scientific research by using various methods that integrate physics, sociology, physics, and psychology on our investigations as well as tools such as the EMF (Electro-Magnetic Field) meter, Thermometer, Audio/Video tools and various other things," McCasland said. "We do not practice anything doing with the occult such as Ouija Boards, séances or any divinity tools primarily because you can't back those up with science."
PRISM currently consists of seven core investigators, and McCasland hopes to take on recruits throughout the semester and expand the group to have organization status on campus.
McCasland acknowledged the possibility of controversy surrounding the topic of life after death, yet he felt the members of PRISM are united by a common goal.
"I am a firm Christian and even though most of our members vary in religion we all are doing what every major religion tries to do and that's prove there is life after death and yes they may go to heaven and hell; for some people being trapped on earth because of some traumatic event is their hell," McCasland said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Roger Belt
posted 10/29/09 @ 4:18 AM CST
Prism is a dedicated group of paranormal investigators. Our goal is to help people who feel they are having a paranormal problem,as well as seeking to prove to everyone the existence of spirits or trapped souls. (Continued…)
Skeptic
posted 10/29/09 @ 2:51 PM CST
Being a skeptic and a physics major it's good to know this group is really trying to do something using science. There are so many people in physics and even astrophysics researching parapsychology and I want to say that it is a legit field of study. (Continued…)
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