Donald Raymond Schmitt

Career and Credentials

Donald Raymond Schmitt is a seven-time best-selling author and one of the most prominent institutional figures in modern UFO research. A graduate of Concordia University with a degree in Liberal Arts, Schmitt served as a special investigator for the late J. Allen Hynek and spent a decade as Director of Special Investigations for the Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS), eventually serving as co-director. He currently holds the position of Lead Investigator at the International UFO Museum and Research Center in Roswell, New Mexico, and advises its Executive Director.

Roswell Research and Publications

Schmitt's entry into UFO research came unexpectedly. Arriving in New Mexico in 1989 as a skeptic, he underwent a dramatic intellectual shift after conducting interviews with Roswell witnesses. His investigations led him to become 99.9 percent convinced of the 1947 crash reality. His debut book, UFO Crash at Roswell (1991), co-authored with Kevin D. Randle, became the basis for the Golden Globe–nominated television film Roswell (1994).

His landmark collaboration with Thomas J. Carey, Witness to Roswell (2007, revised 2009, 2022), achieved the status of number-one-selling UFO book globally for two consecutive years. Together, Schmitt and Carey co-authored The Children of Roswell, Inside the Real Area 51, and Cover-Up at Roswell: Exposing the 70-Year Conspiracy to Suppress the Truth. His most recent work, The People vs Roswell: Legal Analysis of a Criminal Cover-up, applies legal frameworks to document alleged government deception.

Institutional Leadership and International Advocacy

Beyond his role as lead investigator, Schmitt serves as the North American representative for the International Coalition for Extraterrestrial Research (ICER), which operates with parliamentary support from 32 countries and seeks UNESCO recognition as part of the United Nations framework. He teaches a course on Roswell and disclosure at Ubiquity University and served as co-creator of the television series Fifth Kind, bringing scientific inquiry to UFO investigation.

Media Impact

Schmitt's credibility and accessibility have made him a frequent media presence across major platforms—Oprah, CBS 48 Hours, CNN, Larry King Live, Good Morning America, The TODAY Show, and Unsolved Mysteries—reaching audiences far beyond academic UFO research circles.