loader from loading.io

#190 Army Command and General Staff Information Advantage Scholars Symposium

The Cognitive Crucible

Release Date: 05/17/2024

#234 Robert Thibadeau on a Million Identities and Computational Cognitive Neuroscience show art #234 Robert Thibadeau on a Million Identities and Computational Cognitive Neuroscience

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, Bob Thibadeau returns to the Cognitive Crucible and discusses the fundamentals of computational cognitive neuroscience and privacy.  He asserts that everyone should manage a million identities on an embodied chip, share these identities selectively, and change them frequently....

info_outline
#233 Orlandon Howard on Rethinking Strategic Communication show art #233 Orlandon Howard on Rethinking Strategic Communication

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, Lt. Col. Orlandon Howard discusses rethinking strategic communication for U.S. military public affairs, exploring topics such as the PESO model and the balance between informing and influencing. The discussion centers around his recent article: “.” Recording Date: 24 Sep 2025...

info_outline
#232 John Pennell on Russia's Actions in Ukraine and Syria show art #232 John Pennell on Russia's Actions in Ukraine and Syria

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, Dr. John Pennell discusses his book and Ph.D. research: . Recording Date: 4 Sep 2025 Research Question: John Pennell suggests an interested student or researcher examine:  How can we better inform the American public about the information space; focusing on informing the...

info_outline
231 Tod Rathbone show art 231 Tod Rathbone

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, Tod Rathbone discusses trends related to digital marketing and why it matters including: the evolution of live media, digital ad tracking, AI's impact on marketplaces and media, identity mapping and platform challenges, AI and online safety, challenges of digital information...

info_outline
#230 Randy Rosin on Warfare is Informational; the Case for a New DoD Information Paradigm show art #230 Randy Rosin on Warfare is Informational; the Case for a New DoD Information Paradigm

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, Randy Rosin returns to the Cognitive Crucible to support his assertion that warfare is informational and the US Department of Defense needs an entirely new information paradigm. Recording Date: 28 Aug 2025 Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned by Norbert...

info_outline
#229 David Cook on Digital Discipline show art #229 David Cook on Digital Discipline

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, David Cook discusses his recent article: . In addition to digital discipline in a national security context, David discusses cyber  and AI threats and practical mitigation practices that private sector companies and citizens should be aware of.  Recording Date: 19 Aug 2025...

info_outline
#228 Torvald Ask on the UnCODE System show art #228 Torvald Ask on the UnCODE System

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, Torvald Ask discusses his 2023 co-authored paper: The UnCODE System: A Neurocentric Systems Approach for Classifying the Goals and Methods of Cognitive Warfare. The UnCODE System is an accessible and a practical tool for understanding and addressing cognitive warfare goals....

info_outline
#227 Matthew Canham on Agentic AI and the Cognitive Security Institute show art #227 Matthew Canham on Agentic AI and the Cognitive Security Institute

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, Matthew Canham discusses agentic AI's potential to boost productivity by automating tasks and its anticipated influence on user interfaces, potentially creating new security vulnerabilities and opportunities for user manipulation. Matthew emphasized the importance of robust security...

info_outline
#226 James Giordano on Neurotechnology and Future Warfare show art #226 James Giordano on Neurotechnology and Future 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, Dr. James Giordano discusses a broad range of topics related to national security from biopsychology to complexity to neurotechnology to enactivism. Recording Date: 25 Jun 2025 Research Question: James Giordano suggests an interested student or researcher examine: “How might the...

info_outline
#225 Austin Branch, Dave Pitts, and Joe Miller on Cognitive Warfare and the Gray Zone show art #225 Austin Branch, Dave Pitts, and Joe Miller on Cognitive Warfare and the Gray Zone

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, Austin Branch, Dave Pitts, and Joe Miller discuss cognitive warfare, the gray zone, and intensifying great power competition. The ultimate goal is to compete by gaining and maintaining information advantage without kinetic fighting. Recording Date: 28 Apr  2025 Research...

info_outline
 
More Episodes

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, we learn about the US Army’s Command and General Staff College Information Advantage Scholar Program. Two officers from the 2024 IA Scholar cohort–Army MAJs Vincent Michel and Josh Keller–present their research and also discuss their overall experience. Additionally, Cognitive Crucible listeners are invited to the Command and General Staff College Information Advantage Symposium on 22 May 2024.

Recorded on: May 2, 2024

Research Questions

  • MAJ Michel suggests as interested student examine: 
    • What are the necessary steps a unit must take to isolate a prevalent actor within the narrative space?
    • Are there additional factors that influence the narrative space and consolidation of gains?
  • MAJ Keller suggests as interested student examine: 
    • Primary Research Question: How can Collateral Damage Estimation (CDE) adapt to accommodate nonlethal effects against satellite communication architecture?
    • Secondary Research Question: How can CJCSI 3370.01 Target Development Standards accommodate entity-level target development for satellite communication architecture on orbit? What are the resulting impacts to intelligence and targeting professionals?

Resources:

Link to full show notes and resources

Guest Bios:

Guest #1: Vincent Michel, U.S. Army
Information Operations,  Military Intelligence, Armor

Thesis: The Other Side to the Story: Consolidation of Gains and the Narrative Space

Education:
2018, M.A. Criminal Justice, American Military University
2013, B.A. Criminology, University of New Mexico

Past Assignments:
Mission Command IO Project Officer, MXCDID, Futures Concept Center, AFC, Ft. Leavenworth, KS
Recruiting Company Commander, Evansville, IN

Future Assignment: IO Team Leader, 11th Cyber BN

Guest #2: Joshua Keller, U.S. Army
Space Operations, Field Artillery

Thesis:
ADAPTING TARGETING POLICY FOR NONLETHAL EFFECTS ON SATELLITE COMMUNICATION ARCHITECTURE
Education:
2012, M.A. Quantitative and Psychological Foundations, University of Iowa
2010, B.A. Psychology, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

Past Assignments:
Deputy OIC, SPCT #3, 1st Space BN, Ft Carson, CO
Assistant Ops Officer, 1st Space BDE, Ft Carson, CO

Future Assignment: 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) Space Operations Officer, Ft Liberty, NC

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.