The Cognitive Crucible

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Christina Nemr discusses counter-extremism, counter-disinformation, instability, and conflict. After reviewing why so many interventions for both extremism and disinformation tend to fall short, Christina mentions some tactics or approaches that show promise. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #56 Bob Jones on Governance #84 Suzanne Spaulding on Disinformation, the Foreign Malign Influence Center, and Civics Attitudinal Inoculation Integrative Complexity Civic Engagement The need for cognitive closure by Arie Kruglanski and Shira Fishman Integrative Complexity Interventions to Prevent and Counter Violent Extremism by Christina Nemr and Sara Savage South Africa Vaccine Hesitancy Campaign Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-97 Guest Bio: Christina Nemr is a consultant and entrepreneur addressing challenges in the information environment that yield instability and conflict. She has worked on counter-extremism policy and programming for the past decade in collaboration with governments, civil society, academia, and the private sector, with increasing focus on mitigating the psychological and social factors that facilitate susceptibility to extremism and disinformation. She started her career as an advisor with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism, where she was a founding member of the countering violent extremism program. She has degrees in International Relations and Forensic Psychology.  About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Dr. Emma Briant discusses computational propaganda and her ongoing efforts to illuminate the magnitude of the problem. She reviews the findings of her recent research and gives examples with current events. Resources: How Russia benefits from ill-informed social media policies  by Dr. Emma L. Briant The Grim Consequences of a Misleading Study on Disinformation by Dr. Emma L. Briant Government efforts to counter propaganda risk undermining public trust by Dr. Emma L. Briant 'Afternoon Tea & Truth Biscuits' Emma’s regular YouTube show discussing propaganda with the experts 'Propaganda & Counterterrorism: Strategies for Global Change' (by Emma Briant, Manchester University Press, 2015) 'Routledge Handbook on the Influence Industry' (co-Edited by Emma Briant & Vian Bakir, coming 2023) Book: 'Propaganda Machine: Inside Cambridge Analytica and the 'Bad Influence' Industry' (Forthcoming) Dr Emma Briant's Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/emmalbriant Website: www.emma-briant.co.uk Project page: www.propagandamachine.tech Twitter: @emmalbriant Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-96 Guest Bio: Dr. Emma L Briant is a scholar in political communication who researches contemporary propaganda and information warfare, its governance in an age of mass-surveillance and its implications for democracy, security, inequality and human rights. She is presently an Associate at the Centre for Financial Reporting & Accountability at University of Cambridge and a Fellow at Central European University Center for Media, Data and Society. Dr Briant has a particular research focus on the actors behind influence operations and analyzed the coordination and increasing impacts of the digitalization of defense propaganda for her recent book Propaganda and Counter-Terrorism: Strategies for Global Change (Manchester University Press, 2015). Dr Briant’s testimony was central in exposing Cambridge Analytica and its parent company SCL and continues to inform international inquiries and policymaking including the US Congress, UK Parliament, Canadian Parliament and European Parliament. She has advised politicians, NGO’s and Big Tech companies on threats posed by the opaque digital influence industry, disinformation and contemporary influence operations. Dr Briant’s first book was Bad News for Refugees, (Pluto Press, 2013, co-authored with Greg Philo and Pauline Donald), examined UK political and media discourse on migration prior to ‘Brexit’. She served as advisor for a film for ‘People You May Know’, a recent Emmy-nominated documentary on Amazon Prime and previously, as Senior Researcher for Oscar-shortlisted Netflix film ‘The Great Hack’. She is now finalizing her third book Propaganda Machine: Inside Cambridge Analytica and the Digital Influence Industry and working on a fourth the co-edited Routledge Handbook on the Influence Industry with Vian Bakir, Bangor University, UK. Dr Briant also contributes journalism and op-eds to major outlets and is owner of Maven of Persuasion LLC a consultancy that advises and trains on disinformation threats and ethics in influence. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, the Deputy Commandant for Information, Lt. Gen. Matthew Glavy discussed the Marine Corps newest doctrinal pub: MCDP 8 Information. MCDP 8 is the Marine Corps’ capstone service doctrine that describes the purpose and mechanics of the Information warfighting function. The Marine Corps information warfighting function is a framework that Marines use to plan and execute operations for the purpose of creating and exploiting information advantages in pursuit of mission objectives, in any warfighting domain. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #38 Lori Reynolds on Operations in the Information Environment #70 William Hess on the Information Environment and Adapting the Military #13 Brian Russell on Behind Enemy Lines Marine Corps Deputy Commandant for Information ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INFORMATION MANEUVER 1700 OCCUPATIONAL FIELD 17XX Guide posted on the DC I Website for your reference Information as a Joint Function MARINE CORPS BULLETIN 5400 ESTABLISHMENT OF INFORMATION AS THE SEVENTH MARINE CORPS WARFIGHTING FUNCTION MCDP 8, Information: A new Marine Corps doctrine for the information warfighting function by Mr. Eric X. Schaner https://mca-marines.org/wp-content/uploads/MCDP-8-Information.pdf Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-95 Guest Bio: Lieutenant General Glavy was commissioned in May 1986 through the United States Naval Academy. Upon receiving his wings in September of 1988, he was selected to fly the CH-46 Sea Knight. Assignments in the Operating Forces include: Weapons and Tactics Instructor and Embark Officer, HMM-261 (REIN); Aircraft Maintenance Officer, and Executive Officer, HMM-265 (REIN); Current Operations Officer, G-3, 1st MAW; Commanding Officer, HMM-265 (REIN); Commanding General, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing, and Commanding General, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command. Assignments in the Supporting Establishment include: Platoon Commander, Officer Candidate School; Operational Test Director, White House Liaison Officer, Presidential Command Pilot and Commanding Officer, HMX-1. Headquarters and Staff Assignments: Plans, Policy and Operation, HQMC; Information Operations, Joint Staff J3; HQMC Aviation, Expeditionary Enablers Branch; Assistant Deputy Commandant for Aviation, Marine Corps Staff; Deputy Director of Current Operations, United States Cyber Command. Military Education: The Amphibious Warfare School, Marine Corps Command and Staff College and Marine Corps War College. Master’s degrees in both Military Studies and Strategic Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Systems Engineering from the United States Naval Academy About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Lisa DeFalco discusses her 25-year journey in the business of communications analysis. Her firm’s newest AI based technology, Anna, is transforming TPG into an industry leading customer experience technology firm. Their platform evaluates communication effectiveness on a series of over 300 identified communication behaviors. We discuss implications and applications of this technology. Resources: TPG, Inc. Cognitive Crucible Episode #25 Alan Kelly on Mapping the Strategies of IO Actors Alan Kelly Obituary Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-94 Guest Bio:  Lisa DeFalco founded the Independent Quality Assurance market, starting both an industry and a movement with the phrase “this call may be monitored for quality assurance.” Opening TPG in 1996, Lisa has designed the methodology that the Fortune 500 uses to define a “good call.” That methodology is in place among the largest corporations on the globe in 9 countries and 13 languages, and applied across 180 million interactions and growing. Throughout Lisa’s 30 years in the contact center industry, she has served on the industry’s trade association (American TeleServices Association/PACE) as its Board of Director Chairwoman. During her 12-year tenure as the Chairwoman and Board officer, she has met with governmental regulators and members of Congress to advocate the value of contact centers in support of American business communication with consumers. During her tenure, she formed the industry’s Self-Regulatory Organization (SRO) with the cooperation of industry and federal regulators to define compliant consumer protection standards for contact center communication, earning leadership recognition for federal and state regulatory compliance knowledge. As the CEO of TPG, Inc., Lisa is the visionary behind TPG’s products, delivery model, and the innovative path to incorporate its proprietary evaluation methods within AI technology, including their newest AI based technology Anna, transforming TPG into an industry leading CX technology firm. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Captain Todd Huntley USN (ret.) shares his perspective on legal considerations related to information operations. Todd draws upon decades of operational law experience as a judge advocate for USSOCCOM and a senior legal advisor for the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Threat Reduction and Arms Control. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #63 Mike Vickers on IO and the Cyclops #53 Clint Watts on Domestic Extremism #84 Suzanne Spaulding on Disinformation, the Foreign Malign Influence Center, and Civics #41 Toomas Ilves on the Estonian Perspective https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-41 Controlling the Use of Force in Cyberspace: the Application of the Law of Armed Conflict During a Time of Fundamental Change in the Nature of Warfare by Todd Huntley Active Measures: The Secret History of Disinformation and Political Warfare by Thomas Rid Nothing Is True and Everything is Possible by Peter Pomerantsev Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-93 Guest Bio: Todd Huntley is the Director of the National Security Law Program and a Lecturer in Law at Georgetown University Law Center. In addition to teaching, Todd develops curriculum as well as other educational and professional development programs for students focusing on National Security Law. Todd is a retired Navy Captain and served as an active duty Judge Advocate for more than 23 years. Prior to joining Georgetown he was a Professor of National Security Law at The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School in Charlottesville. He previously served as the Directory of the Navy’s National Security Law Division. While at the Pentagon he served as a Special Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Threat Reduction and Arms Control as well as a member of the Senior Review Group for a Joint Staff study on hybrid threats. Todd has extensive operational law experience supporting the Special Operations community. He served as the Chief, Information Operations Law at US Special Operations Command and as the legal advisor to the Joint Military Information Support Command, as well as the SJA, Special Operations Command Central and Combined Forces Special Operations Command where he deployed to Qatar, Iraq, Yemen, and other locations in the Middle East. He also served as the legal advisor for US Special Operations Command, National Capital Region. Todd deployed to Afghanistan twice with a Joint Special Operations Task Force in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and has supported a Joint Special Operations Task Force conducting world-wide counter-terrorism missions. CAPT Huntley has a B.A. in International Affairs and a J.D. from the University of Cincinnati, as well as an M.A. in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, and an LL.M. from Harvard Law School. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, USAF Col Pat Williams discusses the weather, information operations, and how the 557th Wing predicts and influences behavior. After describing the mission and capabilities of the Air Force’s only weather wing, Pat also discusses the 557th Wing’s recent realignment as a subordinate unit of the 16th Air Force. He reviews several historical examples where weather played a critical role in military operations–including the very first tornado forecast. Then, he discusses how weather analyses are playing an increasing role in influence and decision-making at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels. Resources: How weather is playing a role in information warfare USAF 557th Weather Wing Col Pat Williams Bio The First Operational Tornado Forecast Twenty Million to One "You are about to set a precedent." - Gen. Fred S. Borum The Little Ice Age: How Climate Made History 1300-1850 by  Brian M. Fagan Agent of Influence: How to Use Spy Skills to Persuade Anyone, Sell Anything, and Build a Successful Business by Jason Hansen Disinformation: Former Spy Chief Reveals Secret Strategies for Undermining Freedom, Attacking Religion, and Promoting Terrorism by Lt. Gen. Ion Mihai Pacepa, Ronald Rychlak Gen. Ian Pacepa Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-90 Guest Bio:  Colonel Patrick C. Williams is the Commander, 557th Weather Wing, Offutt Air Force Base, Omaha Nebraska. He leads more than 1,450 active duty and civil service personnel at 19 locations around the world providing centralized weather insights, products and services, including climatological and electromagnetic spectrum degradation forecasts, to Air Force, Space Force, Army, Joint Force, and other Department of Defense activities. The 557th Weather Wing executes worldwide weather operations to enable air and space superiority, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, rapid mobility, global strike, and command and control in support of all geographic and functional combatant commands. Colonel Williams received his commission from the United States Air Force Academy in May 1998. He became well versed in aviation, cyber, space, intelligence, and Army operations and held a wide variety of positions to include 2d Weather Group Commander, 19th Expeditionary Weather Squadron Commander, command weather briefer, flight commander, staff officer for Air, Army, and Joint Staffs, program element monitor, executive officer and aide-de-camp. Colonel Williams served two combat tours in Iraq (as flight commander) and Afghanistan (as 19th Expeditionary Weather Squadron Commander) respectively. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, US Army Sergeant Major Denver Dill discusses how music and the arts can be used as tools of influence. Our wide ranging conversation covers the role of music in military operations to the theme park experience to movies to sports. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #19 Ash Holzmann on PsyOps #35 Jessica Dawson on Social Media Weaponization #34 Emma Chiu on Global Trends and Market Intelligence #14 BDJ on Threatcasting The Twenty-Six Words That Created the Internet by Jeff Kosseff Jeff Kosseff's website West Point SS493 Music & Influence Reading List The Social Psychology of Music, Edited by David J. Hargreaves & Adrian C. North Music and Conflict Transformation Harmonies and Dissonances in GEO Politics, Edited by Olivier Urbain Jazz Diplomacy, Promoting America In The Cold War Era, Lisa E. Davenport Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid, Douglas Hofstadter Propaganda and Persuasion New and Classic Essays, Garth S. Jowett & Victoria O’Donnell Chronicles of a black musician, Charles Jones Game Theory and Strategy, Philip D. Straffin 33 Revolutions per minute: A History of Protest songs from Billie Holiday to Green Day, Dorian Lynskey Playing for Change: Music and Musicians in the service of social movements, Rob Rosenthal and Richard Flacks Talkin' 'bout a revolution: Music and social change in America, Dick Weissman Mr. Lincoln’s T-Mails | How Abraham Lincoln Used the Telegraph to Win the Civil War, Tom Wheeler Tracking the Audience – The Ratings Industry from Analog to Digital, Karen Buzzard Radicalism & Music, Jonathan Pieslak Slave Songs of the United States, unknown author – Forgotten Books American Ballads and Folk Songs, John A. Lomax and Alan Lomax The American Songbag Carl Sandburg Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-91 Guest Bio: Sergeant Major Denver Dill is a member of the West Point Band and an instructor of American Politics at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York. He has developed the course SS493 Music & Influence which he teaches in the Department of Social Sciences.  He also serves as a co-founder and researcher in the West Point Music Research Center and as the Army Music Analytics Team Leader.  He has taught and assisted in several departments including the Department of Mathematical Sciences, Department of Systems Engineering, Department of English and Philosophy as well as with the Army Cyber Institute. As a trumpet player Sergeant Major Dill has been a prize winner in several national and international competitions. Additionally, Sergeant Major Dill has appeared as both a soloist and a principal trumpet player with the New York Philharmonic and has performed with the Metropolitan Opera Brass. Prior to coming to the United States Military Academy Sergeant Major Dill was a doctoral teaching assistant at the Eastman School of Music. He holds degrees from Juilliard and Eastern Kentucky University and holds certifications in: Lean Six Sigma, Security+, and Influence in Special Operations. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, COL Dave Acosta discusses a draft article which represents his thinking about the early phases of the Ukraine War entitled: Informationally Disadvantaged: The Realities of Information and War in Ukraine. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #16 Boyd Brown on Deception Technology #9 Mike Jackson and Paul Lieber on Are We Our Own Worst Enemy? #2 Austin Branch, the US Army’s First Information Operations officer #20 Chris Paul on the Firehose of Falsehood #10 Tom Kent on Striking Back #45 Carm Cicalese on Risk Facebook allows war posts urging violence against Russian invaders Facebook parent Meta now says you actually can’t post ‘Death to Putin’ Like War by Peter Singer War in 140 Characters: How Social Media Is Reshaping Conflict in the Twenty-First Century by David Patrikarakos Dave Acosta’s email for the Ghost Post: david.a.acosta.mil@army.mil Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-90 Guest Bio: COL David Acosta is currently a student at the US Army War College at Carlisle Barracks PA. He was commissioned as an Army Field Artillery officer in May 1998 from the United States Air Force Academy. He served at various levels throughout his career from the company/battery level to Division staff and at the Headquarters, Department of the Army G-3/5/7. He commanded the 303d Information Operations (IO) Battalion, 151st Theater IO Group at Camp Parks CA for 49 months, and recently served as the G3 Information Operations (IO) Chief for the US Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne). His operational tours include Company Fire Support Officer, B/2-2 Infantry, OPERATION JOINT GUARDIAN in Kosovo, HQ Stabilization Forces IO Planner, OPERATION JOINT FORGE in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and IO Planner and Deputy G7, OPERATIONs IRAQI FREEDOM and NEW DAWN in Iraq. COL Acosta holds a Bachelors of Science in History (Russian Area) from the US Air Force Academy and a Master of Science in Joint Information Operations from the Naval Postgraduate School. He is the author of The Makara of Hizballah: Deception in the 2006 Summer War. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Dr. Ajit Maan and Mr. Paul Cobaugh discuss the significance of narrative in national security, exploring cultural influences on beliefs and behaviors. They unravel the Hero's Journey archetype, emphasizing narrative's impact on audience interpretation. The conversation highlights the strategic use of storytelling in information campaigns for effective influence.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Courtney Cano and Kaitlyn Tierney, who are graduate students at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MMIS), discuss their award-winning project: Diverting Hate. Their team studied the ways in which radicalization proliferates online–especially misogyny and involuntary celibacy (incel) culture–and developed prevention methods to help individuals build resiliency. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #4 Tony Sgro on Education, Terrorism, and Information Operations   Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MMIS) Diverting Hate Website Diverting Hate Contest Winning Youtube Presentation 2014 Isla Vista killings Middlebury students take home top prize in national competition Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-88 Guest Bios:  Kaitlyn Tierney is a passionate leader aspiring to bridge the gaps of technology and policy through conflict resolution, innovative counterterrorism, and empathy. Inspired to take action to heal our ever-polarizing country, Kaitlyn decided to pursue her master’s in policy in 2021 to connect with experts in extremism to address radicalization on social media. Previously, she spent six years in brand marketing, assisting to develop the brand of a successful personal finance technology company, Credit Karma. Aside from my career aspirations, Kaitlyn is a big believer in living life to the fullest. She finds joy in being outdoors skiing and surfing, as well as traveling this beautiful country via her Subaru Forester.  As a first-generation college student, Courtney Cano is a proud product of the public sphere and was fortunate as a child to be immersed in well-funded public schools, libraries, and after school programs. By all accounts, Courtney has made the best of public institutions to advance her station in life. However, this is by no means equally, or even similarly feasible for everyone. Whether by race, ethnicity, ability, sex, gender, economic status, or the likes, Courtney believes that all have varying degrees of privilege. As such, she has always had an interest in access and equity in both the government and society. Courtney's studies in Political Science, Religion, and Philosophy at Middlebury College were generalist and explored both the philosophical and observed aspects of governance on a national scale. After college, however, she found myself drawn towards the kind of community-building and empathetic advocacy that is necessary to address radicalization after experiencing the polarization and radicalization of her own father. Catalyzed to take action, Courtney decided to pursue her master’s to explore the nexus between policy, society, and innovative counter extremism measures. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.