The Cognitive Crucible

During this episode, Dr. Jacob Udo-Udo Jacob drops by the Cognitive Crucible to discuss with John Bicknell his strategic communications research as well as his work with the United Nations global program focused on disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) missions. Dr. Jacob observes that many strategic communications campaigns tend to focus on messaging and messaging strategy. He asserts, however, that these components should be secondary and that understanding networks is a critical component for any successful strategic communications campaign. Shifting the focus to networks and influences tends to drive social norms. We also discuss a course he teaches at the US Army War College: The Media in War and Peace which explores the role of the media in war and in peace including the techniques adopted by state and non-state actors to influence media performance before, during and after violent conflicts.

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Bio: Dr. Jacob Udo-Udo Jacob is Visiting International Scholar in the International Studies program at Dickinson College. Dr. Jacob earned his Ph.D. in Communications Studies, with a focus on strategic communications, from the University of Leeds in the UK. Dr. Jacob has worked with the United Nations on the revision of the Public Information and Strategic communications module of the Integrated Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Standards during peace operations. He also leads Dickinson College's Bridge Program which provides educational opportunities to young people from regions of the world experiencing conflict and natural disasters—and for whom higher education would otherwise be impossible. Dr. Jacob co-leads the development of a methodological and ethical guide for violent extremism research at the RESOLVE Network--a research program hosted at the US Institute of Peace.

Find out more about the Virtual Panel on Convergence and Information Advantage, which is co-sponsored by IPA and AFCEA Alamo Chapter.

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, you can 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.

During this discussion, Tom Kent joins The Cognitive Crucible to talk about his recent book: Striking Back: Overt and Covert Options to Combat Russian Disinformation. The wide ranging discussion covers the origins of Radio Free Europe, ethics, election meddling, and the story of The West.

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Bio: Tom Kent teaches about Russian affairs and disinformation at Columbia University. He was president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty until 2018. Previously, he was Moscow bureau chief, international editor and standards editor of The Associated Press. He consults on disinformation, journalism and ethics for government, non-governmental organizations, media, and corporate clients. His new book: Striking Back: Overt and Covert Options to Combat Russian Disinformation will be published in September 2020.

Find out more about the Virtual Panel on Convergence and Information Advantage, which is co-sponsored by IPA and AFCEA Alamo Chapter.

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, you can 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.

During this episode, we discuss with COL Mike Jackson and Dr. Paul Lieber their recently co-authored article "Countering Disinformation: Are We Our Own Worst Enemy?". Referencing Richard Stengle's recent book: Information Wars: How We Lost the Global Battle Against Disinformation and What We Can Do About it, Mike and Paul make the case that well intentioned people frequently resort to "tribalism" which has a nonproductive effect. In 2015, Mike was part of a EUCOM and Department of State combined effort called the Russia Information Group (or RIG); he recounts the stand up of the RIG and relates lessons learned for improving information operations going forward. We conclude by discussing what's at stake for America and our allies. Interested listeners should also check out: Mindf*ck: Cambridge Analytica and the Plot to Break America by Christopher Wylie.

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Colonel Michael Jackson is Chief for Plans, Policy, and Partnerships at the Cyber National Mission Force. He was previously the Senior Army Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. COL Jackson has served as an Information Operations officer since 2003 at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels -- collaborating with interagency partners, NATO Allies, and with partner nations.

Dr. Paul Lieber is COLSA Corporation's Chief Scientist (Data & Social Science), where he specializes in communication influence. A Board Member of the Information Professionals Association, he previously served as the Command Writer for two USSOCOM Commanders, likewise Strategic Communication Advisor to Special Operations Command-Australia. Within academic environs, Dr. Lieber was full-time Graduate faculty at both civilian and military institutions.

Find out more about the Virtual Panel on Convergence and Information Advantage, which is co-sponsored by IPA and AFCEA Alamo Chapter.

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, you can 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.

Social media has become not just an essential communication space, but also a new kind of conflict space. Organized disinformation campaigns have proliferated, targeting everything from elections to corporations to public health. During this episode, we discuss with Doowan Lee disinformation and fake news related to crises--including the 2020 COVID pandemic. We also discuss national security threats in the information environment and the interplay between Russian and Chinese information operations.

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Mr. Doowan Lee is the Senior Director of Research & Strategy at Zignal Labs, leading AI-empowered media intelligence analytics & influence risk solutions company. He leverages emerging AI technologies to support and enable open society & national security. Mr. Lee is a national security expert specializing in disinformation analysis and great power competition in the information environment. Before joining Zignal Labs, Mr. Lee was a faculty member and principal investigator at the Naval Postgraduate School where his work focused on countering violent extremist networks and authoritarian regimes.

For more information, please contact us at [email protected].

Or, you can connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell on LinkedIn.

Disclosure: 1) As an Amazon Associate IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

During this episode, Mr. Randy Rosin drops by the Cognitive Crucible to discuss his Ph.D. dissertation and his experiences while on active duty in the US Army. He also compares the different ways that cybernetics has been adopted in Russia and the United States. He asserts that Russian information operations are grounded in cybernetic theory, while the United States opted for a more technological route that has diluted applied cybernetics, which has implications for operations in the information environment going forward.

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Mr Randy Rosin is a faculty member of the National Intelligence University in Bethesda, Maryland who teaches courses in information power, strategic communications, propaganda, cyber threat intelligence, denial and deception, and leadership. He enlisted in the Army in 1979 and served in uniform for over three decades. While in the Army, he served worldwide in senior intelligence and information operations positions. Mr Rosin is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Communications, at American University.

For more information, please contact us at [email protected].

Or, you can connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell on LinkedIn.

Disclosure: 1) As an Amazon Associate IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

During this interview, we discuss with Ben Riley of Georgia Tech some of the ways that the Department of Defense engages with the research community. Additionally, we discuss risk appetite and the necessity for having an innovation mindset.

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Since 2015, Mr. Ben Riley has been a principal research associate at the Georgia Institute of Technology (or Georgia Tech). Prior to joining Georgia Tech, Ben held senior leadership positions in the Department of Defense including the Office for Defense Research and Engineering, the Rapid Reaction Technology Office, and the Task Force for Combating Terrorism Technology. Mr. Riley also served in the United States Navy for over 30 years.

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, you can 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.

During this episode, we discuss with Bob Thibadeau his work on lies and implications for the Information Age.

*Correction: During the discussion, Dr. Thibadeau referred to neocortical computation as "bimodal" (e.g., vision and audition) but the more correct term is "intermodal" (the cognitive integration of all senses and actions).

Interested listeners may engage with his "Whole of Society" effort at The Internet Court of Lies.

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Professor Bob Thibadeau has been affiliated with Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science since 1979. His expertise is in Cognitive Science, AI, and Machine Learning. Prof Thibadeau is one of the founding Directors of the Robotics Institute. And, he is author of the book "How to Get Your Lies Back: The Internet Court of Lies" and "Fiat Lies are Genocide on the Human Race," which is a brief summary available on Medium.com.

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, you can 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. Rand Waltzman is one of the founding members of the Information Professionals Association. During this conversation, we discuss how he coined the term, "cognitive security." Dr Waltzman considers the information threat to be like a chronic disease which has no cure; however, it may be managed. Towards the end of the conversation, Dr. Waltzman suggests that those who are interested to learn more about the origins of modern propaganda should check out the video documentary "Century of the Self." Some other excellent resources include: Computational Propaganda: Political Parties, Politicians, and Political Manipulation on Social Media by Woolley and Howard, as well as Propaganda by Bernays.

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Dr. Rand Waltzman is Deputy Chief Technology Officer at RAND Corporation. Previous positions include acting CTO and Associate Director of Research of the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, Program Manager at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Chief Scientist in the Distributed Systems Lab at Lockheed Martin, and Associate Professor of Computer Science at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. He started his career at the Teknowledge Corporation, the world's first commercial Artificial Intelligence company. He is also co-founder of 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, you can connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell on LinkedIn.

Disclosure: 1) As an Amazon Associate IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

In this episode, we discuss the evolution of information operations since the early 1990s, the state of our national strategic efforts to compete in the information environment, and strategic approaches related to cognitive security.

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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. Most recently, he co-founded the Information Professionals Association or IPA.

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, you can connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell on LinkedIn.

Disclosure: 1) As an Amazon Associate, IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

In this episode, we have a wide-ranging conversation with Chris MacPherson on cognitive security and how it relates to business and innovation to include comparative examples between corporate marketing and military information operations, as well as algorithmic versus human decision-making.

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Mr. Chris MacPherson has had a diverse career spanning academia, government and the private sector -- holding leadership, technical, and strategic roles focused on developing strategies, teams, capabilities and products to understand and augment decision-making. For example, at the global macro hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, Chris applied data systems to enable transformational change. Prior to Bridgewater, he spent over a decade focusing on technology, defense and national security issues for the US Government, with roles at the National Security Agency, the White House Situation Room, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He currently oversees government programs, marketing, and strategic initiatives at Shift.org, a San Francisco based labor marketplace for veterans. He is also an Adjunct Faculty member at Princeton University's Keller Center for Innovation in Engineering Education, and he runs Shadestream Innovations, an innovation consulting business.

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, you can connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell on LinkedIn.

Disclosure: 1) As an Amazon Associate, IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.