#2 Austin Branch, the US Army's First Information Operations officer
Release Date: 09/01/2020
#212 Libby Lange on Algorithmic Cognitive Warfare
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, Libby Lange discusses her recent article: . Recording Date: 9 Dec 2024 Research Question: Libby Lange suggests an interested student or researcher: Take the concept of Algorithmic Cognitive Warfare from the hypothetical and theoretical into the real world and find evidence of...
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#211 Michelle Ciulla Lipkin on Media Literacy Education
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, Michelle Ciulla Lipkin, Executive Director of the , discusses the importance of media literacy in today's world, emphasizing its role in developing critical thinking, effective communication, and active citizenship. Michelle highlights the challenges of navigating the vast and...
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#210 Paul Groestad on Cognitive Warfare
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, CDR Paul Grostad discusses the emerging threat of cognitive warfare, emphasizing the importance of information in modern societies and the potential for it to be weaponized. Until recently, Paul led Cognitive Warfare concept development for the NATO strategic warfare development...
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#209 John Kinder on World War Zoos and Propaganda
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, John Kinder discusses his new book: . This discussion focused on the historical use of animals in international diplomacy and wartime propaganda. Pandas, initially unknown outside China, became popular after being brought to the US in the 1930s. They were used as symbols of...
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#208 Rand Waltzman on Disinformation 101
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, Rand Waltzman returns to the Cognitive Crucible to discuss his famous Disinformation 101 series. Recording Date: 18 Nov 2024 Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned Disinformation 101 LinkedIn Posts: by C. S. Lewis Guest Bio: Dr. Rand Waltzman has...
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#207 Kay Nissen on Second Mover Advantage
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, 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...
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#206 Chris Stirewalt on Broken News, KayFabe, and Operatives
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, 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”...
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#205 Nick Loui on Transforming Chaotic Data into Actionable Intelligence
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, Nick Loui of 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...
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#204 Sharon Russell on Information in Emergency Management
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, 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:...
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#203 Scott Hall on Synchronizing Effects in the Information Environment
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, 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 in the Fall 2024 edition. Recording Date: 26 Sept 2024 Research Question: Scott Hall...
info_outlineClick here for full show notes & resources
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.