[[Richard Helms]] was the [[Director of Central Intelligence|Director of Central Intelligence]] (DCI) from 1966 to 1973. He played a key role in the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]]'s early involvement in psychic research, including the decision to test [[Uri Geller]] at [[Stanford Research Institute|SRI]].[^1] Helms personally approved the continuation and expansion of the CIA's psychic research program, initially known as the Biofield Measurements Program and later as the Paranormal Perception Research Project. His decision was based on the belief that there was value in exploring these phenomena, particularly in response to perceived Soviet advancements in the field.[^1] --- [^1]: Jacobsen, Annie. *Phenomena: The Secret History of the U.S. Government's Investigations into Extrasensory Perception and Psychokinesis*. Little, Brown and Company, 2017.