Human Ecology Fund

The Society for the Investigation of Human Ecology (SIHE) was founded by Harold G. Wolff, MD, in New York in 1954.^[1] In 1961, the organization was renamed the Human Ecology Fund and relocated to Cornell University’s Medical School.^[1] This organization served as a front for CIA-funded research under Project MK-ULTRA, funneling grant money to behavioral scientists to finance research into interrogation, coercion, and torture methods.^[2] The Human Ecology Fund closed in 1965, after the CIA transferred funds and research projects to other outlets.^[2]

Neurologist Harold Wolff of Cornell University Medical College was president of the organization, with Lawrence Hinkle, a Cardiologist, serving as its vice president.^[2] Other board members included Adolf Berle, JD of Columbia University, Dr. Joseph Hinsey of NY Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, Dr. Carl Rogers of University of Wisconsin, and Dr. John Whitehorn of Johns Hopkins.^[3]

Harold Wolff’s presence at Cornell made the University a hub for Human Ecology Fund operations.^[1] In one project conducted at Cornell University, Wolff investigated 100 Chinese refugees with the goal of molding them into CIA agents.^[2] It not believed that this experiment provided any significant findings, as it was interrupted by the CIA in 1955.^[2] One of the most well-known Human Ecology projects involved interviewing Hungarian refugees from the 1956 Hungarian revolt to determine the ways in which the refugees "retained their identities under Soviet occupation."^[1][2]

In addition to financing research projects related to CIA interests, the Human Ecology Fund allegedly funded academic research not related to CIA interests in order to maintain its public facade as a respectable research institution.^[1] It is believed that the academic researchers involved in research funded by the Human Ecology Fund were generally unaware or deceived about the funding source.^[1][4][5]

The Geschickter Fund was a similar front for CIA research on biochemical and medical research at Georgetown, Stanford and MIT.^[6] During MKULTRA's existence 44 U.S. and Canadian universities received CIA funding, with the full list still classified.^[7][8]