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, 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.

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, Lori Reynolds and Austin Branch (along with over 40 additional IPA members) discuss the upcoming Phoenix Challenge conference, which will be held on April 26-28, 2022 at the Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS) on the University of Maryland campus. LtGen Reynolds also discusses the Marine Corps' recent announcement regarding the Information Maneuver Occupational Field (OCcFld 1700). Resources: Phoenix Challenge Conference Marine Corps Establishment of the Information Maneuver 1700 Occupational Field Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS) Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-87 Guest Bios: Mr. Austin Branch is an Information Operations pioneer, practitioner and leader. He holds the distinction of being the Army's very first Information Operations officer when that career field was just forming, and while in uniform, he served at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels. Since retirement from the Army, Mr. Branch served in several senior executive civilian roles within the Department of Defense which focused on information operations, cyber, and counter-terrorism. He is also a founding board member of the Information Professionals Association. Lori Reynolds retired as a Lieutenant General after a 35 year career in the United States Marine Corps. Her service culminated as the Deputy Commandant for Information, a newly established Deputy Commandant that recognized the growing importance of Information, cyberspace and digital technologies and the new warfighting domains of space and cyberspace. During her career, she commanded Marines at every rank, including command of formations in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a General Officer, she commanded the Marine Corps iconic recruit depot at Parris Island SC, where she was responsible for recruiting and training 20,000 new Marines per year. She subsequently commanded Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command, where she completed the build of the Marine Corps' newest warfighting component and was responsible for the Marine Corps first ever cyber effects operations in support of the Joint Force. In her time as the Deputy Commandant for Information, Lori was responsible for all IT, intelligence, cyberspace, space and influence personnel and capability development for the Marine Corps. She led the team that created the Marine Corps newest warfighting function of Information, acknowledging the growing importance of the fight for secure information and data. She also led the development of the cyberspace occupational field for the Marine Corps and initiated the creation of a new Marine component for US Space Command. Lori served as the senior woman in the Marine Corps for 8 years and is an expert in team building, leading diverse teams, managing complexity, risk and talent management, and organizational change management. In her last 6 years in the Marine Corps, she was a member of the Marine Corps Corporate Board reponsible for collaboratively planning $50B annually to support USMC missions and capability development globally. Her executive responsibilities included Deputy Department of the Navy Chief Information Officer for the Marine Corps, Director of Cyber Security, and Director of Intelligence. Lori earned a BS in political science from the United States Naval Academy, a MS from the Navy War College and an MS from Army War College. She has voluntarily served as the Chairperson of the Board for the Sea Services Leadership Association and is a member of the Armed Forces Communication and Electronics Association. She was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 2020 and was the inaugural recipient of the Admiral Grace Hopper award at the National Defense University's College of Information and Cyberspace. She is also a member of the Information Professionals Association. 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, Nick Starck and David Bierbrauer discuss their recent article: Understanding—and Mitigating—Vulnerabilities in the Military Use of AI. After recapping four categories of adversarial methods, they discuss implications and the need to keep humans in the loop. Resources: Understanding—and Mitigating—Vulnerabilities in the Military Use of AI by Nick Starck, David Bierbrauer and Paul Maxwell Google Maps Live Traffic Showed the Russian Invasion of Ukraine Google Turns Off Maps Features in Ukraine That Inadvertently Showed Russia's Invasion IPA Members Only Event registration Join IPA Phoenix Challenge 2022 Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-86 Guest Bios: Captain Nick Starck is a US Army cyber officer currently assigned as a research scientist at the Army Cyber Institute. His research focuses on information warfare and data privacy. Captain David (Dave) Bierbrauer is a signal officer in the US Army. He earned a master of science in engineering degree for applied mathematics and statistics from the Johns Hopkins University in 2021. Captain Bierbrauer is currently a data engineer and data scientist at the Army Cyber Institute. 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.

On March the 9th 2022 from 1800-1930 ET – that this Wednesday evening – we will be having our first IPA members-only social and live Cognitive Crucible podcast recording session. We hope this will be the first of many such gatherings for the information professionals community. After a short ice breaker, we will have a panel discussion led by Mr. Austin Branch – one of the founding Board Members of IPA. Joining Austin will be Lt. Gen. Lori Reynolds USMC ret., who before retiring from the Marine Corps recently, was the Deputy Commandant for Information. There may be some other surprise guests, as well. I can't say anything more about that right now – you'll have to attend the event to see who else joins the panel. The primary topic will be the upcoming April 2022 Phoenix Challenge conference, which is the United States Department of Defense premier convening event hosted by the Office of Secretary Defense of Policy. IPA is very proud to co-host this year's Phoenix Challenge with the University of Maryland's Applied Research Lab for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS) in partnership with OUSD (Policy) and OUSD (Research and Engineering) as DoD sponsors and co-chairs. So, after the panel sketches out the conference agenda, there will be plenty of time for the virtual zoom audience to ask questions. So, if you're an information professional, you don't want to miss out on this event–hit the event registration link below. After you register & before Wednesday's start time, you will receive information about how to join the conference. You may have noticed that this event is for IPA members only. So, if you're not already an IPA member, then I can think of no better time than right now to join our growing community & support our mission. There's a link to join IPA in the show note & we look forward to seeing you this Wednesday evening at 1800 or 6:00pm ET. Event registration https://information-professionals.org/event/live-cognitive-crucible-podcast-recording/ Join IPA https://information-professionals.org/join-ipa/ Phoenix Challenge 2022 https://phoenixchallengedod.org/

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, Josh Kerbel of the National Intelligence University discusses the need for anticipatory intelligence. He contrasts the relatively simple historical national environment with today's complex world. Josh explains why the traditional mindset of containment, which The West deployed to counter the Soviet agenda during the Cold War, is inappropriate today. Traditional analysis tools and linear problem solving are likewise inadequate for understanding complex, emergent dynamics. Resources: IPA Members Only Social and Live Podcast Recording Phoenix Challenge Conference (last week of April 2022) Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #47 Yaneer Bar-Yam on Complex Systems and the War on Ideals #14 BDJ on Threatcasting #32 Greg Treverton on Intelligence Global Trends and Technopolitics National Security Language Is Stuck in the Cold War by Josh Kerbel Our 'cold war' frame distorts more than just our view of China by Josh Kerbel National Intelligence University Dark sky tourism is on the rise across the U.S. Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-85 Guest Bio: Josh Kerbel is a member of the research faculty at the National Intelligence University where he explores the increasingly complex security environment and the associated intelligence challenges. Prior to joining NIU, he held senior analytical positions at DIA, ODNI (including the NIC), the Navy staff, CIA, and ONI. His writings on the intersections of government (especially intelligence) and complexity have been published in Foreign Policy, The Washington Post, Studies in Intelligence, Slate, The National Interest, The Hill, War on the Rocks, Defense One, Parameters, and other outlets. Mr. Kerbel has degrees from the George Washington University and the London School of Economics as well as professional certifications from the Naval War College and the Naval Postgraduate School. More recently he was a post-graduate fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The views expressed here are his alone. 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, Suzanne Spaulding from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) explains why she thinks malign influence and disinformation are national security threats. She also discusses the Foreign Malign Influence Center, various United States authorities, and civics. Resources: IPA Members Only Social and Live Podcast Recording Phoenix Challenge Conference (last week of April 2022) Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #32 Treverton on Intelligence Global Trends and Technopolitics US delays intelligence center targeting foreign influence Beyond the Ballot Report Swedish Psychological Defence Agency Civics Secures Democracy Act Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-84 Guest Bio: Suzanne Spaulding is senior adviser for homeland security and director of the Defending Democratic Institutions project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Suzanne has served in a variety of influential national security roles within the Intelligence Community, the Department of Homeland Security, and within the United States Congress. Likewise, her private sector experience covers a wide-range of legal, risk, and security issues. Suzanne Spaulding is senior adviser for homeland security and director of the Defending Democratic Institutions project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). She also served as a member of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission. Previously, she served as under secretary for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), where she led the National Protection and Programs Directorate, now called the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, managing a $3 billion budget and a workforce of 18,000, charged with strengthening cybersecurity and protecting the nation's critical infrastructure, including election infrastructure. She led the transformation of budget, acquisition, analytic, and operational processes to bring greater agility and unity of effort to an organization that had experienced dramatic growth through acquisition of new entities and missions over several years. Throughout her career, Ms. Spaulding has advised CEOs, boards, and government policymakers on how to manage complex security risks across all industry sectors. At DHS, she led the development and implementation of national policies for strengthening the security and resilience of critical infrastructure against cyber and physical risks, including the National Infrastructure Protection Plan and key presidential directives and executive orders. She worked with industry to establish CEO-level coordinating councils in the electric and financial services sectors, chaired the federal government's Aviation Cybersecurity Initiative to identify and address key cyber vulnerabilities in the national aviation system, and worked with many foreign governments on critical infrastructure and cybersecurity, including negotiating agreements with China and Israel. Ms. Spaulding also led security regulation of the chemical industry, biometrics and identity management, emergency communications, and the Federal Protective Service. As a member of the board of directors for the First Responder Network Authority, Ms. Spaulding helped oversee the complex and unprecedented effort to deploy the first nation-wide broadband network for public safety. She is currently on the board of directors for Defending Digital Campaigns and for Girl Security, and advisory boards for Nozomi Networks, Splunk, MITRE, Harvard University's Defending Digital Democracy project, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and the Technology Law and Security Program at American University. She is a member of the Homeland Security Experts Group, sits on the council of executives for the Center for Cyber and Homeland Security at Auburn University, and is on the faculty of the National Association of Corporate Directors. Following the attacks of 9/11, Ms. Spaulding worked with key critical infrastructure sectors as they reviewed their security posture and advised the CEOs of the Business Roundtable. In 2002, she was appointed by Governor Mark Warner of Virginia to the Secure Commonwealth Panel to advise the governor and the legislature regarding preparedness issues. She was managing partner of the Harbour Group, a principal in the Bingham Consulting Group, and of counsel to Bingham McCutchen LLP. Ms. Spaulding has served in Republican and Democratic administrations and on both sides of the aisle in Congress. She was general counsel for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and minority staff director for the House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. She also spent six years at the Central Intelligence Agency, where she was assistant general counsel and legal adviser to the director's Nonproliferation Center. She was a member of the CSIS Commission on Cybersecurity for the 44th Presidency, which developed a bipartisan national cybersecurity strategy in advance of the 2008 election; executive director of the National Commission on Terrorism and the Commission to Assess the Organization of the Federal Government to Combat the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction; and a consultant on the Advisory Panel to Assess Domestic Response Capabilities for Terrorism Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction and the Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction. She is former chair of the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Law and National Security, founder of the Cybersecurity Legal Task Force, and was a member of Harvard University's Long-Term Legal Strategy Project for Preserving Security and Democratic Freedoms in the War on Terror. 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. Can archetypes be modeled, analyzed, and applied in support of national security? During this episode, Joseph Lee discusses Carl Jung, collective consciousness, and archetypes. Our wide ranging discussion covers a comparison between Jung and Freud, Joseph Campbell's work on myth and the hero's journey, the Marvel universe as a modern day collection of stories about gods, the power of rituals, and archetype emergence. Here is the story Joseph shared towards the end of the discussion: Max Zeller's dream. A psychoanalyst living in California, Zeller had become troubled by his work after World War II, for he worked with relatively few individuals while the world remained in turmoil. So he went to Europe to meet with Jung and had this dream: "A temple of vast dimensions was in the process of being built. As far as I could see—ahead, behind, right and left—there were incredible numbers of people building on gigantic pillars. I, too, was building on a pillar. The whole building process was in its very first beginnings, but the foundation was already there, the rest of the building was starting to go up, and I and many others were working on it. Jung said, 'Ja, you know, that is the temple we all build on. We don't know the people because, believe me, they build in India and China and in Russia and all over the world…You know how long it will take until it is built?' And when Max Zeller asked how long, Jung said, 'About six hundred years.' Max Zeller ended by saying, 'That is what happens in our work…We see it every day…Each person works on his own pillar, until one day the temple will be built.'" Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #77 Paul Lopata on Quantum The Jungian Life Podcast Episode 179: The Archetype of War Joseph R. Lee's Webpage DreamSchool The Philadelphia Association of Jungian Analysts Apotheosis of Washington Mural Power of Myth PBS Series with Joseph Campbell Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-83 Guest Bio: Joseph R. Lee is a Jungian Analyst in private practice in Southern VA. He is co-host and co-creator of This Jungian Life podcast, as well as the online learning program DreamSchool, where people learn how to interpret their own dreams. He is president emeritus of The Philadelphia Association of Jungian Analysts that provides analytic training. 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.

John DeRosa and Alex del Castillo discuss measuring effectiveness of operations in the information environment. They cover visualizing the information environment, cloud computing, innovation culture, and future capabilities. Topics include horizonal and vertical contextual understanding, agnostic baselines, target audience definition, predictive analytics, narrative intelligence, and meme analysis.