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, US Air Force MAJ Chris Mesnard discusses his Master’s thesis from the US Army Command and General Staff College entitled: Describing and Forecasting Relevant-Actor Attitudes, Actions, and Behaviors via Narrative-Based Decision-Making. Planners at all echelons seek to transition the present state into one more desired and advantageous. This study explores the topic of transitioning to desired future states through the use of measurable story elements which can influence relevant actor attitudes, actions, and behaviors. Story is a well-researched cognitive process with unique elements enabling planners to use story elements as a framework in operational planning and assessment. Additionally, during the discovery phase of this study, the research identified a doctrinal gap in how joint planning doctrine describes the term narrative. The key takeaway from this study is that the mind thematically aligns stories and their elements into narratives, demonstrating a cognitive process that assists in an individual’s understanding of reality and the possible decisions which logically fit into that reality. Using the understanding of stories and their elements, planners can better describe and forecast narrative-based decision-making exhibited through relevant actor attitudes, actions, and behaviors. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #89 Ajit Mann and Paul Cobaugh on Narrative Watch and listen to the research presented here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6Xx3WMwQOE Communication models Transactional communication Thesis placeholder YouTube link of thesis defense:  Decision making: Daniel Kahneman's Thinking Fast and Slow Gary Klein's Seeing What Others Don't Narrative and story: Kendall Haven's Story Smart RAND 2021 study on Command Narrative -- Doctrine: MCDP-8 Link to full show notes and resources Guest Bio:  Maj Christopher Mesnard received his BA in History in 2010 from The University of Texas at Austin where he also commissioned into the United States Air Force through the university’s Reserve-Officer Training Corps program. A career public affairs officer, Chris has advised Air Force and Joint Force commanders and their staffs at all levels of command from tactical up through geographic and functional combatant commands. His major milestone experiences include communicating and planning on behalf of the Department of Defense’s nuclear enterprise at both wing and headquarters assignments, multilateral missions on the Korean Peninsula and in Japan, U.S. Southern Command missions in Central America, U.S. Northern Command and multi-agency response to COVID-19 and later vaccine distribution, air refueling and multi-national air operations in U.S. European and Africa Commands, and support to U.S. Transportation Command’s household goods contract renewal.  Chris is a 2015 graduate of George Washington University with a Masters in Strategic Public Relations. He has also attended the NATO Information Operations course at Oberammergau Germany; the Joint Intermediate Public Affairs Course at Fort Meade, MD; and the Joint Enabling Capability Command’s Joint Planner’s Course at Naval Station Norfolk, VA. Currently, Chris is finishing his Masters in Military Art and Science at the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College.  Chris has an interest in topics ranging from human cognition and decision making, strategy and plans development, public communication, and the symbiotic civil-military relationship that uniquely strengthens the U.S. 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, Luke Shabro, Deputy Director of the US Army Mad Scientist Initiative and Senior Futures Analyst, discusses first principles thinking and the Mad Scientist initiative. Luke spearheads a community of action that continually explores the future through collaborative partnerships and continuous dialogue with academia, industry and government. Through this initiative, the Army shapes future multi-domain (i.e., Land, Air, Sea, Cyber, and Space) operations in its role as a thought leader in the future of warfare. The program consists of an All Partners Access Network (APAN) community of action, a monthly on-line speaker series, conferences with world class experts at the Nation’s premier academic institutions, and now, this blog — envisioning the Operational Environment! Research Question: Luke Shabro suggests an interested student examine the dynamics and characteristics and consequences related to brain-computer interface (BCI). Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #33 August Cole on FICINT and the Cognitive Warfighting Domain #8 Doowan Lee on COVID Disinformation US Army Tradoc Mad Scientist Laboratory Luke Shabro LinkedIn Think Like a Rocket Scientist: Simple Strategies You Can Use to Make Giant Leaps in Work and Life by Ozan Varol The Long Game: China's Grand Strategy to Displace American Order by Rush Doshi Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-155 Guest Bio: Luke Shabro is a futurist, writer, intelligence analyst, and Deputy Director for the Army Mad Scientist Initiative and Senior Futures Analyst at U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command G-2. He served for eight years as an active duty Intelligence Specialist in the United States Navy, deploying aboard the USS JOHN C STENNIS (CVN-74) and instructing basic and intermediate Navy intelligence students. He has worked extensively in all-source intelligence, counterinsurgency, counterterrorism, global security, and futures analysis. He graduated with a BA in International Studies from Old Dominion University and an MA in Political Science from Virginia Tech. He is also a volunteer soccer and flag football coach. 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, Todd Leventhal recaps his many years of experience countering disinformation with the U.S. Information Agency and the U.S. Department of State–including AIDS disinformation, child organ trafficking rumors, exaggerated fears about depleted uranium, and Iraqi propaganda and disinformation during the 1991 Gulf War. Todd recently worked with the Global Engagement Center and he suggests ways for the Department of State to improve public diplomacy in the 21st Century. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #49 Matt Armstrong on the Smith-Mundt Act #105 Tom Kent on Persuasion in the Developing World #128 Matt Armstrong and Chris Paul on the U.S. Information Agency and Foreign Policy #106 Mike Taylor on the Global Engagement Center The need to up our game in countering disinformation by Todd Leventhal Soviet Active Measures in the "Post-Cold War" Era 1988-1991: A Report Prepared at the Request of the United States House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations by the United States Information Agency June 1992 Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-154 Guest Bio: Todd Leventhal has some 25 years of experience in countering Russian, Soviet, Iraqi, and other disinformation, conspiracy theories, and false stories, mainly for the U.S. Information Agency and the U.S. Department of State, starting in 1987.  He was the sole or main U.S. government official countering disinformation from 1989 to 1996, 2002 to 2010, and in 2015. He received an “Exceptional Performance Award” from the Director for Central Intelligence for his contributions to the 2003 White House report Apparatus of Lies: Saddam’s Disinformation and Propaganda 1990-2003. After retiring from 33 years of U.S. government service in May 2018, Mr. Leventhal served as a Senior Counter-Disinformation Advisor in the Russia Division of the State Department’s Global Engagement Center (GEC) from late 2018 to April 2022, where he wrote 14 GEC Counter-Disinformation Dispatches, which summarize lessons learned about disinformation and how to counter it based on the experiences of frontline counter-disinformation practitioners. 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. Andy Whiskeyman and Dr. Mike Berger return to the podcast to discuss the importance of adequately resourcing operations in the information environment (OIE) activities. Financial disparities beget capability disparities and ultimately information effects disparities. To solve the problem, Mike Berger recommends leaders start with a mindset shift. Andy Whiskeyman believes that leaders need to modify expectations related to information effects; Andy also believes there’s an organizational component to solving the problem. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #139 Austin Branch and Andy Whiskeyman on Phoenix Challenge London #137 Vic Garcia and Mike Berger on Information Operations and Intelligence #151 Daniel Runde on Chinese Soft Power #150 Jill Goldenziel on China and the Philippines Axis of Disinformation: Propaganda from Iran, Russia, and China on COVID-19 by Andy Whiskeyman and Mike Berger Analogies at War: Korea, Munich, Dien Bien Phu, and the Vietnam Decisions of 1965 by Yuen Foong Khong Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-153 Guest Bio:  Dr. Andrew Whiskeyman, COL USA(ret.), CHEP is an associate professor at the National Defense University’s College of Information and Cyberspace where he teaches and researches on the topics of leadership, disruptive technology, information warfare, deception, and strategic foresight. He is a professor of practice with the University of Maryland (UMD)’s Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS), where is helps coordinate the Phoenix Challenge Series of international Information conferences.  He has lectured internationally on the use of information as an element of power. He is also the CEO and co-founder of JASSA Professional Services, providing expert advice on organizational leadership, strategic foresight, and disruptive innovation.  Prior to his retirement from Active Duty, he served as the Chief of the Information Operations Division (J39) within the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Operations Directorate J3 located at Macdill AFB, Florida.   His penultimate assignment was as the Chief of Cyber Strategy for the CENTCOM Joint Cyber Center (JCC). COL Whiskeyman served as an active-duty Army officer for over 28 years. His first assignment was to Misawa AB, Japan as an enlisted military intelligence Soldier. He then went to Officer Candidate School (OCS) and commissioned into the basic branch of Air Defense Artillery. In 2007, he transitioned to the Information Operations functional area (FA30). He has deployed five times: Kosovo (KFOR 3B - 2001/02), Afghanistan (3 times - 2004, 2006/07, and 2012/13), and Iraq (2008/09). He also has numerous shorter trips into the Middle East theater of operations including return trips to Iraq and Afghanistan.  He is a graduate (and plank owner) of the Marine Corps Expeditionary Warfare School (EWS - 2004), Air Command and Staff College (ACSC - 2011 in residence), and the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies (SAASS XXI - 2012). He is the first Soldier with the Advanced Strategic Planning and Policy Program (ASP3) to earn his PhD (Military Strategy, Air University 2015). In the community, he has been active in Parish ministry for over 15 years, he is a past Grand Knight with the Knights of Columbus, and has started and led multiple Exodus fraternities (in person and virtual) for the past 5 years. He is a co-founder of the Tampa Bay Catholic Business Forum. He has been married for over 28 years and has four children, three dogs, and a turtle. Dr. Mike Berger is Chief of Research for the Information Warfare organizational unit (OU) in Peraton’s Cyber Mission Sector. In this capacity, he serves as the lead for analysis and assessments for the Operational Planning, Implementation, and Assessment Services (OPIAS) contract—the largest information warfare support contract in the US Government (USG). Dr. Berger oversees primary source research, personnel, and operational assessments supporting information operations (IO) / irregular warfare (IW) activities across OPIAS’s supported Geographic Combatant Commands (GCCs) and USG agencies. Through the course of his work, Dr. Berger has established and successfully managed the most expansive foreign audience opinion research portfolio in the Department of Defense, including over 700,000 survey interviews, 600 focus groups, and 2,000 elite interviews in a variety of sensitive locations across the globe. A central focus of his research includes illuminating the current challenges faced by America and its partners in the information environment. Dr. Berger holds a PhD in International Relations from the University of St. Andrews (Scotland, United Kingdom). He enjoys establishing new research projects, leveraging new technologies to enhance data analysis, and developing operational assessment teams in support of forward deployed warfighters. 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, Marine Corps LtCol Dennis Katolin, who is the Commanding Officer of Marine Wing Communications Squadron 28 (MWCS-28), discusses his squadron’s Standard Operating Procedures for Information Maneuver. Our wide ranging conversation covers emerging talent and integration requirements, communications-related contributions to the outcomes of the information warfighting function, and early lessons learned related to the Ukraine War. Research Question: Dennis Katolin suggests an interested student; Power projection, cultural paradigms, and legal shifts that inhibit full appreciation and adaptation into the information space. Analogous to the cultural shift in the military at the dawning of flight. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #38 Lori Reynolds on Operations in the Information Environment #95 LtGen Matthew Glavy on MCDP 8 Information #132 Brian Russell on OIE Truths #59 Mark Moffett on Societies, Identity, and Belonging LtCol Dennis Katolin The Nature of Information - Information is instantaneous by LtCol Dennis W. Katolin Information Defined – A Whole of Force Approach by LtCol Dennis W. Katolin Military Ethics by Dennis Katolin Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-152 Guest Bio:  Lieutenant Colonel Dennis Katolin is the Commanding Officer of Marine Wing Control Squadron 28 (MWCS-28). Lieutenant Colonel Dennis Katolin graduated from Truman State University in 2002 and was commissioned that same year. Lieutenant Colonel Katolin reported to The Basic School in January 2003, and upon completion, attended the Communications and Information Systems Officer Course, graduating in 2003. In January 2004, Lieutenant Colonel Katolin moved to MCAGCC 29 Palms and reported to 3rd LAR Battalion to serve as the S-6A until May 2004. He then became the S-6 for 1st Battalion, 7th Marines and was the Communications Platoon Commander. In September, 2004, Lieutenant Colonel Katolin deployed with 1/7 to Al Qaim, Iraq (along the Iraq/Syrian border) and again in 2006. After returning from Iraq in October of 2006, Lieutenant Colonel Katolin executed orders to Second Fleet Command in Norfolk, Virginia to serve as the Marine C4 Officer on the N-6 staff.  He was also designated as the Joint C4 planner as Second Fleet was becoming a Joint Task Force (JTF SOUTH) for SOUTHCOM. In the summer of 2009, Lieutenant Colonel Katolin reported to EWS and later attended the Advanced Communication Officers Course (ACOC) 2010. After EWS, he reported to 9th Communication Battalion where he assumed command of C Company and, in May, 2011, became the Commanding Officer of B Company which deployed to Afghanistan and facilitated communications for the I MEF (FWD) CE for RC(SW). Upon returning from Afghanistan, Lieutenant Colonel Katolin reported to I MEF G-6 as the Assistant Operations Officer, where he was the primary C4 planner for I MEB and supported Pacific Horizon 2012, Dawn Blitz 13.1 and 13.2, coordinating with the MEF staff as well as ESG-3. After serving on the MEB staff, Lieutenant Colonel Katolin received orders to serve as a Faculty Advisor at Expeditionary Warfare School from 2013 to 2016. He was the course director for the MCMAP program, ethics, amphibious C4, and Communications Occupational Field Exercise modules of instruction. He received the Elihu Rose Award for teaching excellence in 2016. In 2016, Lieutenant Colonel Katolin was assigned to 9th Communication Battalion and served as the Operations Officer. He planned 5 Battalion level exercises in support of the I MEF Commanding General and also provided C4 detachments for MEB level exercises Pacific Horizons, Dawn Blitz, and Native Fury. He planned the reorganization of the Battalion in accordance with HQMC’s Force Modernization 2025 as well as established the first Defensive Cyber Operations cadre organic to I MEF.  In 2018-2019, Lieutenant Colonel Katolin attended the School of Advanced Warfighting. His last assignment was as the MAGTF Planner assigned to the Plans and Strategy Division for the Deputy Commandant for Information. Lieutenant Colonel Katolin is a 3rd Degree Black Belt Martial Arts Instructor Trainer in MCMAP and was a winner of the Commandant’s Innovation Challenge in 2017 for writing a proposed doctrinal publication on ethics.  Lieutenant Colonel Katolin’s personal decorations include the Meritorious Services Medal w/gold star, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal w/gold star, and the Combat Action Ribbon. 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, Dan Runde of CSIS discusses various ways China deploys soft power strategies in pursuit of geopolitical goals. Dan touches upon vaccine diplomacy, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Elections, and other multilateral organizations such as the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), and the State Department’s Bureau for International Organizations (DOS IO). Research Question: Dan Runde suggests interested students read Invisible China: How the Urban-Rural Divide Threatens China’s Rise by Scott Rozelle and Natalie Hell, which upacks human capital and demographics challenges in China. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #74 Elham Tabassi on NIST, Technology Standards, and Trust #130 Teasel Muir-Harmony on Spaceflight, Foreign Policy, and Soft Power #144 Nick Eberstadt on Demographics Dan Runde’s CSIS Webpage The American Imperative: Reclaiming Global Leadership through Soft Power by Daniel Runde United Nations International Telecommunications Union US State Department Bureau of International Organization Affairs Soft Power Invisible China: How the Urban-Rural Divide Threatens China’s Rise by Scott Rozelle and Natalie Hell Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-151 Guest Bio: Daniel F. Runde is a senior vice president, director of the Project on Prosperity and Development (PPD), and holds the William A. Schreyer Chair in Global Analysis at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a leading global think tank. Mr. Runde also served as the acting director for the CSIS Americas Program from 2020-2022. His work is oriented around U.S. leadership in building a more democratic and prosperous world. Among his many other contributions, Mr. Runde was an architect of the BUILD Act, contributed to the reauthorization of the U.S. EXIM Bank in 2018, and was an architect of Prosper Africa, a U.S. government initiative to deepen the United States' commercial and development engagement in Africa. He has been a leading voice on the role and future of the World Bank Group and U.S. leadership in the multilateral system. Prior to CSIS, Mr. Runde held leadership roles at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Bank Group. Earlier in his career, Mr. Runde worked in commercial banking at Citibank in Argentina and in investment banking at Alex. Brown & Sons. Mr. Runde was granted the Officer’s Cross in the Order of Isabel la Católica, a Spanish civil order. Currently, he serves on the board of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), the Western NIS Enterprise Fund (WNISEF), Spirit of America, and the Ashesi University Foundation. Mr. Runde is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Bretton Woods Committee. He is also a columnist for The Hill and hosts a CSIS podcast series, Building the Future: Freedom, Prosperity, & Foreign Policy with Dan Runde. Mr. Runde is also the author of the book The American Imperative: Reclaiming Global Leadership through Soft Power (Bombardier Books, 2022). He previously chaired two U.S. government advisory committees: the Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid at USAID and the Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee at the U.S. EXIM Bank. Fluent in Spanish, he graduated cum laude from Dartmouth College and holds a master’s in public policy from Harvard University. 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. Jill Goldenziel of the National Defense University discusses information lawfare and uses ongoing dynamics between the Philippines and China as a case study. Our conversation also traverses the INDOPACOM Counter Lawfare program, the Belt and Road Initiative, institutional lawfare, global legal domination, and the 21st Century space race. Research Question: Jill Goldenziel suggests interested students examine the legal basis for the defense of Taiwan, which includes understanding scenario modeling. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #74 Elham Tabassi on NIST, Technology Standards, and Trust Recent articles: The Truth About The Philippines’ New Strategy Against China by Jill Goldenziel Law as a Battlefield: The U.S., China, and Global Escalation of Lawfare by Jill Goldenziel Information Lawfare: Messaging and the Moral High Ground by Jill Goldenziel Jill Goldenziel’s Website INDOPACOM Tactical Aids (TACAIDS) China’s Law of the Sea: The New Rules of Maritime by Isaac B. Kardon Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-150 Guest Bio:  Dr. Jill Goldenziel is a professor at the National Defense University-College of Information and Cyberspace and a speaker, consultant, and arbitrator. At NDU-CIC, she teaches courses in International and Constitutional Law, Leadership, Strategy, Lawfare, and Information Warfare to senior civilian and military leaders from the United States and allied and partner nations. She is also an Affiliated Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania’s Fox Leadership International program and Penn’s Partnership for Innovation, Cross-Sector Collaboration, Leadership, and Organization.  She is a Forbes.com contributor on National Security. She has spoken at the United Nations and dozens of events throughout the world. Dr. Goldenziel’s award-winning scholarship focuses on international law, U.S. and comparative constitutional law, human rights, refugees and migration, lawfare, and information warfare. She is working on a book on how politicization of refugee crises threatens national security, an article on lawfare and Illegal, Unregulated, and Unreported Fishing (IUU F), an essay on leadership and gender that builds on her popular TEDx talk, and several projects on the use of law as a weapon of war. In 2022, NATO ACO/SHAPE Legal Office awarded her the Serge Lazareff Prize for her work as a scholar-practitioner of legal operations (lawfare).   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, Jon Askonas discusses how technology may be leading us towards a homogenization and a cultural dead end where creativity is stifled by market forces. This homogenization process may also, inadvertently, make societies more susceptible to cybernetic influence techniques such as reflexive control. Research Question: What is the relationship between homogeneity & heterogeneity in memetic systems? (For ex: The research of Rene Girard). Resources: Jon Askonas’ Catholic University Webpage Recent podcast appearance: WHAT’S HAPPENED TO CONSENSUS REALITY? Marshall Mcluhan quote: "There is no difference that does not difference make." YouTube: Axis of Awesome - 4 Four Chord Song (with song titles) Ted Gioia Music Substack The Culture of Military Innovation: The Impact of Cultural Factors on the Revolution in Military Affairs in Russia, the US, and Israel by Dmitry (Dima) Adamsky Wikipedia: Rene Girard Tablet: Jacob Siegel Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-149  Guest Bio: Jon Askonas is an assistant professor of Politics at the Catholic University of America, where he works on the connections between the republican tradition, technology, and national security. He is currently working on two books: A Muse of Fire: Why the U.S. Military Forgets What It Learns in War, on what happens to wartime innovations when the war is over and The Shot in the Dark: A History of the U.S. Army Asymmetric Warfare Group, the first comprehensive overview of a unit that helped the Army adapt to the post 9/11 era of counterinsurgency and global power competition. His writing has appeared in Russian Analytical Digest, Triple Helix, The New Atlantis, Fare Forward, War on the Rocks, and the Texas National Security Review. 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, Kalev Leetaru discusses the Global Database of Events, Language, and Tone (or GDELT) project, global risk management, and open source intelligence. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #130 Teasel Muir-Harmony on Spaceflight, Foreign Policy, and Soft Power #129 Eliot Jardines on Open Source Intelligence The GDELT Project https://www.gdeltproject.org/ Kalev Leetaru’s webpage https://www.kalevleetaru.com/ Open Source Intelligence in a Networked World by Anthony Olcott Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-148 Guest Bio: Dr. Kalev Leetaru is a global advisor to governments, NGOs and the world’s largest corporations to help them solve tomorrow’s greatest challenges in an ever more uncertain world. His GDELT Project fundamentally transformed modern global risk forecasting, becoming one of the most iconic and largest realtime open graphs over Planet Earth. For more than a quarter-century his landmark studies have been at the forefront of reimagining how we understand our world through some of the largest datasets and computing platforms on the planet. 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, Nita Farahany discusses her cognitive liberty concept, as well as her book: The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology. Research Question: Prof. Farahany asks what can we do individually to tell fact from fiction, safeguard against manipulation, engage critical thinking skills, and develop greater mindfulness so that we may flourish in the Digital Age. What are the limits of the human mind to protect against distortion of cognitive freedoms? Resources: The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology by Nita Farahany Prof Nita Farahany’s Webpage https://law.duke.edu/fac/farahany/ Recent news article: “We need a new human right to cognitive liberty” Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-147 Guest Bio:  Nita A. Farahany is a leading scholar on the ethical, legal, and social implications of emerging technologies. She is the Robinson O. Everett Distinguished Professor of Law & Philosophy at Duke Law School, the Founding Director of Duke Science & Society, the Faculty Chair of the Duke MA in Bioethics & Science Policy, and principal investigator of SLAP Lab. Farahany is a frequent commentator for national media and radio shows and a regular keynote speaker. She presents her work to diverse academic, legal, corporate, and public audiences including at TED, the World Economic Forum, Aspen Ideas Festival, Judicial Conferences for US Court of Appeals, scientific venue including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Society for Neuroscience, the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, the American Society for Political and Legal Philosophy, and by testifying before Congress. Her current scholarship focuses on the implications of emerging neuroscience, genomics, and artificial intelligence for law and society; legal and bioethical issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic; FDA law and policy; and the use of science and technology in criminal law. In addition to publishing in legal and scientific journals, as well as edited book volumes, Farahany is the author of the forthcoming book The Battle for Your Brain: Defending Your Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology (St. Martin’s Press 2023). In 2010, Professor Farahany was appointed by President Obama to the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues and served until 2017. She is an appointed member of the National Advisory Council for the National Institute for Neurological Disease and Stroke, an elected member of the American Law Institute and Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, past President of the International Neuroethics Society, an ELSI (ethical, legal, and social implications) advisor to the NIH Brain Initiative and to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, an appointed member of both the Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders and the Standing Committee on Biotechnology Capabilities and National Security Needs for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and a member of the Global Future Council on Frontier Risks and Expert Network for the World Economic Forum. She served as Reporter for the Study Committee and later Drafting Committee on updating the Uniform Determination of Death Committee for the Uniform Law Commission. In 2022, she was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to the NC Delegation for the Uniform Law Commission, and currently serves in that capacity. Farahany is a co-editor-in-chief and co-founder of the Journal of Law and the Biosciences and on the Board of Advisors for Scientific American. She also serves on scientific and ethics advisory boards for corporations. Farahany received her AB in Genetics, Cell, and Developmental Biology from Dartmouth College, an ALM in biology from Harvard University, and a JD and MA from Duke University, as well as a Ph.D. in philosophy. In 2004-2005, Farahany clerked for Judge Judith W. Rogers of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, after which she joined the law faculty at Vanderbilt University. In 2011, Farahany was the Leah Kaplan Visiting Professor of Human Rights at Stanford 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. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.