By Information Professionals Association
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The podcast currently has 211 episodes available.
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, Rand Waltzman returns to the Cognitive Crucible to discuss his famous Disinformation 101 series.
Recording Date: 18 Nov 2024
Resources:
Link to full show notes and resources
Guest Bio: Dr. Rand Waltzman has 40 years of experience performing and managing research in Artificial Intelligence applied to domains including social media and cognitive security in the information environment. He is former Deputy Chief Technology Officer and currently an Adjunct Senior Information Scientist at the RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, CA. He is also a founding board 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 [email protected].
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, Kay Nissen discusses her Army’s Command and General Staff College thesis entitled: Second Mover Advantage In The Military Information Environment. This thesis examines second-mover advantage theory within the military information environment. It aims to offer military planners alternative strategies beyond the traditional emphasis on seizing the initiative, proposing a secondary response framework. The research explores how to create a second-mover advantage, focusing on response timing and type through a mixed-methods approach.
The conversation also touched on the challenges of implementing theories in practice, the importance of cooperative partners, consistency, and information tempo, and the potential research areas in this field.
Recording Date: 8 Nov 2024
Research Questions: Kay Nissen suggests interested students examine:
Resources:
Link to full show notes and resources
Guest Bio:
Maj. Kay M. Nissen is the commander, 2d Audiovisual Squadron, at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. As the commander, she oversees the squadron’s mission to create effective audiovisual productions on behalf of the U.S. Air Force and Department of Defense. She is responsible for organizing, training, and equipping Total Force Airmen and Government Service civilians to operate an Air Force level production center and employ the Air Force’s only live broadcast truck.
Maj. Nissen received her commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in May of 2011. She has served as a public affairs officer for both fighter and airlift wings, as well as in support of NATO and Major Command staffs. She has also deployed as a media engagements officer for the NATO Resolute Support mission in Kabul, Afghanistan, and as a Chief of Public Affairs for the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing in the United Arab Emirates. Prior to this position, Maj. Nissen was a student and Information Advantage Scholar at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
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 [email protected].
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, Chris Stirewalt discusses the state of media as presented in his latest book: Broken News: Why the Media Rage Machine Divides America and How to Fight Back. Chris believes that a major component of the challenges faced by news consumers can be explained by “demand side” dynamics. We also discuss KayFabe and News/Political Operatives.
Recording Date: 6 Aug 2024
Research Question: Guest suggests as interested student examine:
Resources:
Link to full show notes and resources
Guest Bio: Chris Stirewalt is a contributing editor at The Dispatch, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, the politics editor for NewsNation and anchor of The Hill Sunday, co-host of the Ink Stained Wretches podcast, and author of Broken News, a book on media and politics.
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 [email protected].
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 Loui of PeakMetrics discusses the evolution of the internet, challenges posed by fragmented platforms, and the importance of addressing misinformation. Nick explores the dynamics of social media, particularly TikTok, and the need for companies to proactively manage their online reputation. Our conversation also covered data processing challenges, sentiment analysis, and the significance of narrative in understanding online trends.
Recording Date: 10 Oct 2024
Research Question: Nick Loui suggests an interested student or researcher examine correlating earned media impact to outcome, which is challenged due to data privacy issues.
Resources:
Link to full show notes and resources
Guest Bio:
Nick Loui is the Co-Founder and CEO of PeakMetrics, a leading company specializing in AI-driven narrative threat intelligence. They assist organizations in various sectors by identifying and forecasting the evolution of adversarial messages online. As concerns about social media manipulation continue to rise alongside the proliferation of generative AI, PeakMetrics’ innovative approach has gained recognition and received awards such as the NSIN COVID-19 Disinformation Challenge and the BAE Fast Labs Partner of the Year. Their technology supports a diversity of complex issues, including crisis management, financial manipulation, and countering state-sponsored propaganda.
Prior to founding PeakMetrics, Nick served as the Chief Marketing Officer of an ad-tech startup. During his time, the startup expanded from its initial hire to a team of over 80 members and secured over $70M in funding. He began his career as an engineer and digital marketer, helping Ashton Kutcher become the first person to amass a million followers on Twitter. Nick has been featured by Forbes and garnered viral attention on HackerNews and TechCrunch for his creation of "Parrot.vc," a generative AI tool that humorously targeted the VC community. Nick has held leadership positions at NEXUS, a global community dedicated to bridging the gap between individuals of wealth and social entrepreneurship, and Out in Tech, a global non-profit that supports 50k LGBTQIA+ tech workers in 32 cities.
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 [email protected].
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, Sharon Russell lends her 20+ years of emergency response experience to the forum. Our discussion includes Sharon’s experience as the Deputy Incident Commander for the response to the Key Bridge incident, which happened in March 2024.
Recording Date: 4 Sept 2024
Research Question: Sharon Russell suggests an interested student examine ways of developing responses to public information questions faster; go back 20-30 years of lessons learned data to identify communications strategies that worked and did not work.
Resources:
‘Remarkably complex’ cleanup effort ramps up at site of Baltimore bridge collapse
FEMA website
FEMA Incident Command System
Link to full show notes and resources
Guest Bio:
Ms. Sharon Russell is the Engagement Branch Chief and Deputy Division Chief of the Allies and Partners Force Development (APFD) Division, which is part of the Joint Staff Directorate for Force Development in Suffolk, Virginia. This division uses coordinated engagements to develop collaborative force development capabilities between the Joint Force and its Allies and Partners.
Ms. Russell also has 22 years of service in the United States Coast Guard Reserve. She is a commissioned officer currently assigned as the Reserve Chief of Staff for the Coast Guard’s 13th District. Her military experience includes assignments focused on Marine Safety and Port Security, as well as emergency responses to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (2005), Irma (2017), and Florence and Matthew (2018). Other response operations include Deepwater Horizon (2010), the capsized vessel GOLDEN RAY (2019) and the Key Bridge Response (2024). She served as the lead planner for Maritime Security for the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida in 2012 coordinating 27 interagency organizations and provided security for 50,000 delegates, protectees and media. In 2021, she served as the Coast Guard’s Incident Commander for COVID-19 vaccine operations, successfully leading the effort to vaccinate over 95% of the Coast Guard. Prior to her current assignment, CAPT Russell was assigned to the APFD Division as a Reservist, where she was hand-selected by the Division Chief to lead the highest priority effort, conducting a thorough analysis of the Joint Warfighting Concept and providing recommendations for release to Allies and partners.
Prior to joining the Coast Guard, Ms. Russell served at the US Department of State as the Office of Foreign Missions designated senior international environmental policy expert and advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary. Her work focused on customs and shipping regulations for the import/export of hazardous materials and relevant diplomatic immunities for the Conditions of Construction Agreement (COCA) negotiations between the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State Department.
With her experience in crisis management and long-range strategic planning from both a military and civilian perspective, Ms. Russell provides key leadership to inform current and future strategic issues affecting Allies and partners.
Ms. Russell is a native of St. Petersburg, Florida. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from Emory University with a concentration in Spanish and Russian language. She also earned a Master of Arts degree in Environmental Policy from American University and a Master of Arts degree in Emergency Management from Tulane University. She now resides in Suffolk, Virginia with her husband Marty.
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 [email protected].
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, MAJ Scott Hall discusses his paper: Enhancing Mounted Maneuver Operations by Setting Conditions of Advantage through Information Environment Effects Synchronization, which is getting published in Armor magazine in the Fall 2024 edition.
Recording Date: 26 Sept 2024
Research Question: Scott Hall suggests interested students examine:
Resources:
Link to full show notes and resources
Guest Bio: MAJ Scott C. Hall is the U.S. Army Cyber (ARCYBER) G-39 Influence Branch and ARCYBER Trans-Regional Information Advantage Detachment (TIAD) Lead Information Advantage Planner, Fort Eisenhower, GA. His previous assignments include: U.S. Army Europe and Africa Command (USAREUR-AF) G-5 Plans Eastern Campaign Branch, Clay Kaserne, Wiesbaden, Germany, Squadron Executive Officer, 1st Squadron, 16th Cavalry Regiment, 316th Cavalry Brigade, Fort Benning, GA. National Training Center (NTC) Live Fire Combined Arms Battalion Lead "Dragon 11," Operations Group, NTC Combined Arms Battalion Company OC/T “Scorpion 11”, Operations Group NTC, Fort Irwin, CA., Troop Commander, Havoc Troop (HHT), 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd IBCT (Airborne), Grafenwöhr, Germany, Aide-de-Camp to the Deputy Commanding General – Maneuver, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, TX and Bagram Airbase, Afghanistan, Platoon Leader, 3rd Platoon, C Company (Tank), 2nd Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, TX and Baghdad, Iraq. MAJ Hall’s military education includes; US Army Cyber Operations Planner Course (COPC), Joint Cyber Operations Planner Course (JCOPC), Joint Information Operations Planner Course (JIOPC), US Army Space Cadre Basic Course, US Army Special Technical Operations Planner Course, Joint Special Operations University (JSOU) Special Operations Forces (SOF) Information Advantage and Intelligence Integration Course, JSOU SOF Influence and Operations in the Information Environment, Joint Military Deception Training Course (JMTC), US Army Theater Army Staff Course, Information Operations Officer Qualification Course, Command and General Staff College, US Air Force Joint Firepower Course, NTC OC/T Certification Course, US Army Jumpmaster Course, US Army Pathfinder Course, Maneuver Captains Career Course, Combative Level 1, US Army Airborne School, US Army Armor Officer Basic Course, and US Army Air Assault School. MAJ Hall holds a Master of Business Administration degree in Project Management from Grand Canyon University and a bachelor’s degree in Military History from Norwich University, VT. MAJ Hall’s awards includes; a Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal (3rd award), Army Commendation Medal (4th Award), Army Achievement Medal (3rd Award), Meritorious Unit Commendation (2nd Award), and NATO Medal – Afghanistan, the Combat Action Badge, Senior Rated Parachutist Badge, Army Space Badge, Pathfinder Badge, and Air Assault Badge. MAJ Hall also holds the German Silver Parachutist Badge and the Romanian Parachutist Badge and holds a Bronze Order of Saint George Medallion and an Order of Saint Maurice Medallion.
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 [email protected].
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, Genia Simkin discusses his firm’s Samizdat technology which makes it possible to bypass DNS blockades set up by autocratic regimes.
Recording Date: 5 Aug 2024
Research Question: Genia Simkin suggests as interested student examine OSINT practices. For example, would it be possible to get an accurate sense (census, poll, survey, etc.) of how various populations that live in fear of and under the repressive rule of governments like those in Russia, Iran, or China feel about their governments' various policies and other important geopolitical questions so as to better understand what kinds of propaganda that they're subjected to is effective and they're able to see past?
Resources:
Link to full show notes and resources
Guest Bio:
Yevgeny (Genia) Simkin is a technologist, analyst, comedian, musician, and entrepreneur who fled with his family to the US from the former Soviet Union in 1978, during the mass Soviet Jewish exodus of the 70s.
Over the last 25 years, Simkin has developed a multitude of software products for the likes of CBS News, YouTube, USA Today, and, many other global media and tech companies. Additionally he's a regular contributor to The Bulwark and has intended but failed to find the time to write multiple insightful and arguably books on the ways in which humanity has failed to realize its potential.
Last year, after Russia invaded Ukraine, Yevgeny co-founded Samizdat Online, an anti-censorship media platform that uses unique IP to make it possible to bypass Internet blocking commonly practiced by autocratic regimes such as Putin’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 [email protected].
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, Doug Abdiel "reverse-interviews" John Bicknell, the CEO|Founder of More Cowbell Unlimited and traditional Cognitive Crucible podcast host.
John discusses More Cowbell Unlimited's cognitive indicators and related technology that the US Army is prototyping in order to create effects, maintain Information Advantage, and compete globally.
Recording Date: 26 Sept 2024
Research Question: John Bicknell suggests an interested student or researcher examine:
Resources:
Link to full show notes and resources
Guest Bio: John Bicknell founded More Cowbell Unlimited to help America remain a beacon of hope and strength on the world stage. America must adopt Process Dominance as a core capability in order to innovate and survive in the Information Age. His vision is for process technologies to be as ubiquitous as processes are.
John is a national security thought leader and passionate analytics visionary. He has written extensively on national security matters related to information warfare, critical infrastructure defense, and space situational awareness. John leads software and business development efforts for More Cowbell Unlimited.
John is a retired Marine Corps officer who served worldwide. He led enterprise-level process-intensive human resources supply chain projects designed to discover inefficiencies, architect solutions, and re-purpose manpower savings. In his corporate career, he operationalized an Analytics Center of Excellence for a large EdTech firm, among other accomplishments.
John is also Vice President for the Information Professionals Association and host of The Cognitive Crucible podcast. His Master’s degree from the Naval Postgraduate School emphasizes econometrics and operations research.
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 [email protected].
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, Remi Whiteside discusses his Ph.D. research and dissertation which is entitled: Peering into US Army Media, Information, and Data Literacy Fundamentals against Malign Information in the Open Information Environment: A Qualitative Case Study.
According to Remi Whiteside, the US Army currently has no institutionalized program-of-record for educational development, uniquely designed for its population of uniformed Information Professionals in training to detect, analyze, and scrutinize malign information in the Open Information Environment. Unlike its peer services, the US Army does not perceive malign information, a reimagined tool of ideological subversion, as a high-caliber threat so far as to invest the time, money, or resources into critical, foundational metaliteracy competencies needed for its Information Professionals for the Open Information Environment.
Recording Date: 1 Aug 2024
Research Question: Remi Whiteside suggests an interested student ask–in relation to media and information—how do narratives derived from the Open Information Environment shape servicemembers’ metanarratives and do these metanarratives conflict with military identity?
Resources:
Link to full show notes and resources
Guest Bio: Remington Whiteside is an active-duty Chief Warrant Officer in the US Army, career education, and academic researcher into MIDLE (media, information, and data literacy education) and M2DP (malinformation, misinformation, disinformation, propaganda). He started his career as an enlisted Cryptologic Linguist, with work in strategic, SOF, and training environments. He metamorphosed to Signals Intelligence Warrant Officer, specializing in tactical SIGINT, COMINT, OSINT, PAI, OPSEC, and Intelligence Support to Cyber and Electromagnetic Warfare (EW) training as an Observer-Coach-Trainer at Fort Johnson, Louisiana at the Joint Readiness Training Center. Remi holds an undergraduate degree in Middle Eastern studies, a graduate degree in Applied Linguistics with a focus on Computational Linguistics, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Education. He is lovingly supported by his wife Sara and his three children: Evolette, Torben, and Soren.
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 [email protected].
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, Ellen McCarthy discusses how to conceptualize and develop standards and measurements on information quality, how to align AI with accurate and reliable information, and how challenges and potential of leveraging AI can support information quality. Also, be sure to check out and register for the upcoming 28 October symposium co-sponsored by TIM and IPA: Beyond the Noise - Elevating Information Quality in a Generative AI Era.
Recording Date: 5 Sept 2024
Research Question: Ellen McCarthy suggests an interested student examine macroeconomic indicators or drivers of information consumption.
Resources:
Link to full show notes and resources
Guest Bio: The Honorable Ellen McCarthy is a national security professional with extensive experience in government and the private sector. She has held several high-level positions in the U.S. intelligence community and has worked on a wide range of national security issues. Ellen served as the Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research from 2018 to 2020. In this role, she oversaw the State Department's intelligence analysis and provided support to senior policymakers on foreign policy matters. Before that, she was the President of Noblis NSP, a national security-focused science and technology company. She also served as the President of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA), a non-profit organization focused on addressing intelligence and national security priorities. Prior to her time in the private sector, McCarthy held various leadership positions in the intelligence community, including serving as the Chief Operating Officer of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the Director of Intelligence Operations at the U.S. Coast Guard. She was also lead for Human Capital and Security for the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and started her career as an all source intelligence analyst within the Office of Naval Intelligence and the Atlantic Intelligence Command. She is a wife, mother, daughter and friend.
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 [email protected].
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 podcast currently has 211 episodes available.
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