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W A R W I C K--R E S E A R C H--I N S T I T U T E--M E M O


From the Ohio UFO Notebook, March 1993


A retyped, unsigned memo is making the rounds of UFO research circles these days. At this point it is unknown whether it represents a real document or is a hoax. However, because of the memo's apparent wide distribution, MORA decided to see if, at a minimum, the Warwick Research Institute exists. It does. The memo in question reads as follows:


To: Policy Committee
Date: November 1990
Subject: Observations on Public Acclimation Program

The metered release of information to the public through various unofficial channels continues to generate much interest and an increasing level of awareness, with few if any observable side effects, other than healthy skepticism on the part of some people.

We respectfully suggest continuing the present approach, as it is making information available to those who are psychologically ready for it, without causing undue stress on those who are not ready.

The present approach is also proving helpful to those who are having first-hand encounters. It is providing them with a context in which to put experiences they cannot otherwise explain or understand. Having some conception of what has happened to them is an enormous psychological relief to these people -- and helps them get on with their lives, as best as possible. Providing information which helps people to cope will become increasingly important as the percentage of the population having these encounters continues to rise. As you know, some assistance in this area is being rendered by various civilian support groups, which have been formed by interested parties.

Over time, it may be appropriate to increase the accuracy and the consistency of information in circulation. The very good groundwork laid over the last few years has made it possible to acclimate the public at the current accelerated rate. As the public becomes more comfortable with IAC and other sightings, "crop circles", etc., additional types of information might be released. It appears most of the research community is running one to two years or more ahead of the mainstream media. This gives some time frame for possible disclosures to the general public -- while providing advance details to those who are ready for it now.

Having a certain number of informed citizens among the population could very well prove to be an invaluable resource in the face of unpredictable future events. Indeed, history may record that it was these aware people who set aside their differences and worked together the most to help humanity, their country and their government in the changing times and challenges ahead.

Warwick Research Institute


MORA received its copy of this letter from ufologist Donald Ware in the spring of 1992, who received his from John Schuessler. In response to a request asking how he obtained his copy, John wrote back, "I have no idea where it came from. It was in a stack of material I received one week, so I shared it with Don Ware as he is the MUFON East Region Director. I would like to know whether or not it is authentic." An initial attempt to locate an organization of this name was made using library resource materials. It was determined early in the investigation that there is an organization named "Warwick Research" involved in the food packaging business, possibly in England. Later, Pete Hartinger, director and founding member of the Roundtown UFO Society (RUFOS ) of Circleville, Ohio and a MORA member, located the Warwick Research Institute northwest of London in Coventry during a business trip to that country in late spring 1992. He found it listed in a local telephone directory. Whether these two organizations are the same is unknown at this time.

Further research determined that the Warwick Research Institute is located at the University of Warwick in Coventry, England, a relatively new university incorporated by Royal Charter in 1965. The Institute itself was founded in 1988, one of a number of institutes and research centres located at the university. The director of the Institute is listed as one Alan R. Roe, a senior lecturer in economics. Mr. Roe received his Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Leeds in Leeds, England and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Wales in Cardiff, Wales. MORA learned during a telephone call to the Institute on July 22, 1992 that Mr. Roe is no longer director of the Institute, although he is still associated with the University. (Sources: Commonwealth Universities Yearbook, 1991, Vol.1, The Association of Public Universities, London, England and The World of Learning, Forty-Second Edition, 1992, Europa Publications Limited, 18 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3JN, England.) No other information about the Institute is contained in these sources.

The purpose of the telephone call to the Institute, which we referred to in the paragraph above, was to obtain some general information about the Institute, particularly with regard to the scope of its work. During the conversation with the secretary we were directed to, we learned that the Institute has economics as one of its main areas of interest. She confirmed that the Institute is organizationally connected to the University of Warwick. When we asked who their clients were, she replied that the Institiute did a lot of work for the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank. We also asked her if they had done any work for the U.S. Government, specifically the Department of Defense; she replied seemingly honestly that she did not know. We did not ask if they had done work on the subject of UFOs, for obvious reasons; we didn't want her to conclude that our request was not serious. She promised to send us some information on the Institute, but it hadn't arrived as of the date of publication of this supplement.

MORA did obtain a Postgraduate Prospectus Entry bulletin for the University of Warwick for the 1993 school year. Interestingly, the bulletin contains a list of 33 university affiliated "research centres," but the Institute is not among them.




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