Weapons of Mass Disruption: Recent Episodes
Dr. Tamara Schwartz
We live in a VUCA world – volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous – where the only constant is change, complexity is growing, and all the ambiguity this creates is making us feel anxious and uncertain. The world is being disrupted over and over again, and the risks previously categorized as “unknown unknowns” have become commonplace. Everywhere we turn, Mount VUCA is in various stages of volcanic eruption. Join IQ4U’s Dr. Tamara Schwartz and her invited guests in this new podcast exploring the intersection of globalization, technology, business, ethics, and social change as we learn to live with Weapons of Mass Disruption.
The founders built the American experiment on assumptions about human nature, liberty, consent, and self-government. But what happens when those assumptions collide with artificial intelligence, digital surveillance, algorithmic influence, and increasingly polarized politics? On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz and Dr. Stephen Stern explore whether the philosophical foundations of the American republic remain sufficient for a world where technology can shape attention, influence beliefs, and increasingly mediate and even dictate the choices we make as citizens.
The American founding was more than a political revolution, it was a philosophical experiment about humans and power. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz welcomes back Dr. Stephen Stern to explore how thinkers such as John Locke, David Hume, and Adam Smith influenced the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the founders' understanding of liberty, power, and human nature.
Dr. Tamara Schwartz welcomes back Dr. Stephen Stern, Associate Professor of Judaic Studies at Gettysburg College, for the second installment of their conversation on Israel, anti-Zionism, antisemitism, and the politics of power. Building on their previous discussion of the complex relationship between anti-Zionism and antisemitism and the unique moral expectations often placed upon Israel, this episode explores the role of narratives in shaping public perception of Israel as a symbol rather than simply a nation-state. Together, they examine where legitimate criticism of Israeli policy ends and broader questions of legitimacy, collective responsibility, and Jewish sovereignty begin.
In this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz welcomes Professor of Judaic Studies, Dr. Stephen Stern for a thought-provoking conversation about Israel, anti-Zionism, antisemitism, and the deeper question of power itself. Together, they explore why Israel occupies such a uniquely symbolic role in modern political consciousness and how debates about the Jewish state have become intertwined with broader questions of morality, legitimacy, victimhood, nationalism, and identity. In an era of information warfare and competing realities, this episode challenges listeners to think critically about the stories societies tell about power, history, and legitimacy—and what those stories reveal about the modern world.
The classroom is changing faster than most institutions can process. Large language models are no longer just tools students experiment with on the side—they are becoming cognitive companions that shape how students write, think, solve problems, and increasingly, how they evaluate themselves. Dr. Tamara Schwartz, does not often ruminate alone on this podcast, but in this episode of WMD, she will explore what is happening in the classroom, and her concerns about what happens when students begin trusting AI more than their own judgment.
Building on their ongoing conversation, Tamara Schwartz and Jena Jordahl examine how business models shape AI outputs, and why we often have little visibility into the incentives driving what we see. This episode explores the hidden relationship between economics, optimization, and meaning in AI systems.
Building on their last conversation meaning and how we learn, Tamara Schwartz and Jena Jordahl explore how we begin to map meaning itself. Using Lewis and Clark as an analogy, this episode examines how meaning forms across layers, perspectives, and structured relationships, and what it takes to navigate a landscape that does not come with a map.
Picking up where we left off in September, Tamara Schwartz is joined once again by Jena Jordahl of InfiniteIQ to explore the meaning of words vs. prediction of words that flow logically. We revisit math as a language of process, and we discuss what is at stake if we fail to shift from black box to white box AI.
In the final episode of this three-part AI series, Dr. Tamara Schwartz and Jena Jordahl explore the language beneath artificial intelligence: mathematics itself. Moving beyond data provenance and intellectual lineage, they examine how math is not merely numbers, but a language of verbs and adverbs — a language of process, transformation, and production. When we understand mathematics as describing movement, relationships, and change, AI becomes less mysterious and more traceable. This reframing lays the groundwork for building “white box” AI systems that are transparent, explainable, and structurally understood rather than opaque black boxes. In an era of algorithmic decision-making and increasing VUCA, the ability to see and interpret the processes inside AI systems is foundational to trust, cognitive security, and responsible innovation.
In Episode 2 of our AI series, Dr. Tamara Schwartz continues her conversation with Jena Jordahl, founder of InfiniteIQ, by exploring the intellectual lineage that shaped her thinking. Jena reflects on mentorship from some of the most influential minds in artificial intelligence and cognitive science, including 1973 Turing Award recipient Charlie Bachman, pioneer of memory-based reasoning David Walz, and Nobel Laureate Herbert Simon and his theory of satisficing, and others. Charlie once called Jena the “Queen of Instances,” recognizing her mastery of real-world case intelligence. Herbert Simon challenged her to search for similarity in points of view rather than differences. This episode connects those lessons to production analysis, showing how perspective, pattern recognition, and cognitive discipline shape trustworthy AI systems in a volatile world.
In this first episode of our three-part AI series, Dr. Tamara Schwartz sits down with Jena Jordahl, founder of InfiniteIQ and one of the most advanced thinkers in artificial intelligence you’ve likely never heard of. Drawing on a professional partnership that began during the stand-up of US Cyber Command in 2008, they explore a critical distinction: data analysis versus production analysis. While data analysis focuses on patterns inside databases, production analysis examines the full value chain and data provenance — how information is generated, shaped, incentivized, and transformed before it ever reaches a model. In an era where AI scales decisions at machine speed, understanding the origin of data is no longer optional. It is foundational to cognitive security, strategic trust, and responsible innovation.
Season 5 of Weapons of Mass Disruption launches at a moment of accelerating volatility. Recognized by Feedspot as a Top 10 Globalization Podcast, the show returns with sharper focus on the forces reshaping global power. We are operating in a permanent state of VUCA — volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity — driven by geopolitical instability, AI-accelerated decision cycles, emerging technology convergence, and information warfare that blurs truth and narrative. This is not just technological change. It is cognitive terrain. Join Dr. Tamara Schwartz as we follow in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark, head off the map, and go canoeing in the mountains. Get ready to climb out, lace up your boots, and use your paddle as a walking stick.
Augmented and virtual reality are no longer just for gaming—they’re shaping the future of military readiness. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz hands off the mic to YCP Cybersecurity Management major Thomas Burgess as he dives into how AR and VR are transforming defense operations, from hyper-realistic training environments to enhanced battlefield awareness. These immersive technologies are helping soldiers prepare for complex scenarios, rehearse missions in simulated warzones, and gain real-time data overlays in live combat. Thomas explores the strategic benefits of synthetic training environments, the integration of AR in heads-up displays, and how these tools are improving decision-making, coordination, and survivability.
What happens when artificial intelligence learns to move—and virtual battlefields feel more real than the front lines? The convergence of AI, robotics, and virtual reality is rapidly transforming modern warfare, pushing the boundaries of how militaries train, fight, and make decisions. From autonomous ground units that adapt in real time to VR combat simulations that prepare soldiers for high-stakes missions, this tech trifecta is reshaping the future of defense. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz hands off the mic to York College Cybersecurity Management major Tommy Travato and Business Analytics major Kent Schmalenberger. Together, they explore the fusion of intelligence, embodiment, and simulation—how AI enables machines to learn and act, how VR creates realistic environments for tactical training, and how robotics are being deployed from boot camp to battlefield. As the line between physical and digital warfare blurs, they ask: are we building smarter systems to protect us—or autonomous forces we may not be able to control?
When machines can choose to kill, what happens to the rules of war? Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems—known as LAWS—are no longer the stuff of science fiction. These AI-powered systems can identify, target, and engage enemies without direct human input, raising critical questions about accountability, ethics, and the future of warfare. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz hands off the mic to York College Cybersecurity Management majors Charlie Malone and Nate Rugh who unpack how LAWS are reshaping global defense strategies, from autonomous drones to AI-guided missile systems. Are these weapons making war faster, cleaner, and more precise—or are we entering a dangerous era where algorithms decide who lives and who dies? As militaries race to integrate autonomy into the battlefield, they ask: where should the human decision-maker fit in—and what happens when they’re left out entirely?
What happens when creativity meets code? From virtual fitting rooms to AI-generated clothing lines, technology is stitching itself into the fabric of fashion—changing not just how we shop, but how we define style itself. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz hands over the hosting seat to York College Business Analytics major Devin Gasiorowski. He’s joined by streetwear innovator Elijah Clay, who brings a firsthand perspective on how AI is influencing not just high fashion, but the culture-driven world of streetwear. They talk tech, taste, and the future of fashion in a world where style is increasingly shaped by algorithms. As fashion becomes more automated, they ask—can machines capture the nuance of human expression, or are we dressing for a future that’s already been calculated?
From robotic surgical assistants to AI that reads X-rays faster than doctors, intelligent machines are revolutionizing hospital care. These technologies aren’t just tools—they’re teammates, streamlining logistics, enhancing precision, and diagnosing illness with unprecedented speed and accuracy. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz hands over the mic to York College Cybersecurity Management students Jasmine Wright and Halie Brackbill. Together, they step into the hospital of the future to explore how robotics and AI are reshaping healthcare from the inside out. From autonomous surgical systems to delivery bots and digital diagnostics, machines are not simply automating routine tasks—they’re augmenting human capability. Whether it’s assisting in operating rooms, sterilizing equipment, monitoring patients, or even offering emotional support, robots and AI are changing how hospitals heal.
From surgical assistants to delivery bots, robots are quietly transforming hospitals from the inside out. These machines don’t just automate—they augment, assisting with everything from precision surgeries to sterilization, patient monitoring, and even emotional support. On this episode of WMD I hand off the hosting microphone to YCP Cybersecurity Management student Fernando Paulino Tavarez and Gavyn Miller who are experiencing first-hand how robotics and the Internet of Things are reshaping healthcare: improving efficiency, reducing risk, and raising new questions about trust, ethics, and the role of the human touch. When robots scrub in, what happens to the way we heal—and the people who help us do it?
The future of driving may not involve any driving at all. From highway autopilot to fully autonomous taxis, self-driving cars promise to revolutionize how we move through the world. But behind the sleek dashboards and lidar sensors are complex ethical questions, safety concerns, and infrastructure challenges that society is only beginning to confront. On this episode of WMD I hand off the hosting microphone to YCP Cybersecurity Management student Brayden Rampulla, who takes a ride into the world of autonomous vehicles—exploring the tech, the trust, and the tension between progress and control. Are self-driving cars the key to safer roads and smarter cities, or just another step toward surrendering the wheel—literally and figuratively?
What if the next cybersecurity breach didn’t start in a server room—but in a game lobby? As video games become more immersive, social, and connected, they're also becoming prime battlegrounds for digital threats. On this episode of WMD Dr. Tamara Schwartz welcomes YCP Business Analytics graduate Kaitie Ciano and Cybersecurity Management graduate Zach Deal to the show to explore how the mechanics of gaming—and the rise of virtual reality—are reshaping the cybersecurity landscape. From gamified hacking tactics to virtual environments that blur the lines between simulation and reality, what happens when everything becomes a game, and how will we protect what is real?
Baseball has always been a numbers game—but now, it’s a game powered by artificial intelligence. What started with Moneyball and the rise of sabermetrics has evolved into a new era where machine learning models optimize lineups, predict pitch outcomes, and even generate scouting reports. On this episode of WMD Dr. Tamara Schwartz welcomes YCP cybersecurity management majors Jason Cassidy and Evan Hughes to the show. We discuss how AI is reshaping player development, in-game strategy, and front office decision-making, asking as algorithms increasingly call the shots behind the scenes, is the soul of the game evolving—or being automated away?
Baseball has always been a game of stats—but now, it’s a game of sensors, too. From smart bats that measure swing speed to connected stadiums that track every pitch, step, and fan reaction, the Internet of Things is transforming America’s pastime into a real-time data machine. On this episode of WMD Dr. Tamara Schwartz welcomes YCP cybersecurity management majors Ryan Partlow and Aaron Hershberger to the show. They explore how IoT is reshaping the way players train, coaches strategize, and teams engage their audiences, asking the question: with all this intelligence flying around—from RFID chips in uniforms to player-tracking beacons embedded in the field—is baseball becoming smarter, or just more surveilled?
Soccer, or association football, originated in 19th-century England as a standardized version of various traditional ball games and quickly evolved into the world's most popular sport, governed globally by FIFA since 1904. But a lot has changed since the 19th century. This beautiful game is going digital. From AI-powered scouting tools to VAR’s controversial calls, technology is changing how the sport is played, coached, and consumed. Wearables track every sprint and heartbeat, while predictive analytics shape training regimens and game-day strategies. But as data and machines take a bigger role on and off the pitch, some are asking—what are we gaining, and what might we be losing? On this episode of WMD Dr. Tamara Schwartz welcome YCP Business Analytics major Caleb Morris, to explore how technology is disrupting soccer at every level, and whether the soul of the sport can keep pace with the code that’s now running it.
Sports will never be the same. Algorithms are analyzing plays, wearables are tracking every movement, and fans are stepping into virtual stadiums from their living rooms. But as technology takes the field, it’s not just enhancing performance—it’s disrupting the very essence of the game. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz hands off the microphone to her YCP students, Cybersecurity Management major Devon Franz and Business Analytics major Toby Young who explore how data, AI, and immersive tech are rewriting the rules of sports, reshaping what it means to train, compete, and even be a fan—asking, is this evolution making the game better, or just less human?
In 1994, a barrier that had grounded generations of women finally lifted. Secretary of Defense Les Aspin formally opened combat aviation roles to female service members—a milestone born from years of determined advocacy and shifting military needs. Despite cultural resistance, these Gen X women demonstrated the personal courage to not just earn wings—but to fly into combat zones where no American woman had gone before. Yet even today, the legacy of their achievements faces challenges—not from enemy forces, but from a quieter, bureaucratic elimination. In recent months, tens of thousands of pages, images, and stories celebrating military ‘firsts’—including those by female aviators—have been scrubbed from public military archives under new DEI rollbacks. On this episode of WMD Dr. Tamara Schwartz welcomes her former cadet training officer, Colonel “Buff” Burkel, USAF (retired). They will trace the arc from the 1994 breakthrough to now: from pilots’ unforgettable missions to modern-day efforts that risk losing their stories, asking the question: when history itself becomes contested territory, who decides which achievements endure—and which vanish?”
AI is accelerating faster than the operational environment can adapt. From autonomous systems to decision-making algorithms, the speed of innovation is outpacing policy—and ethics. In this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz and YCP cybersecurity management student Bryce Durham confront some of the hard questions: When is it appropriate to take the human out of the decision cycle? Can legacy military systems be integrated with AI? And the ultimate dilemma—should a machine ever be allowed to kill without a human in the loop? As AI reshapes everything from transportation networks to modern warfare, we explore what’s gained, what’s lost, and what might never be recoverable.
As the world becomes increasingly defined by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA), quantum technology offers powerful capabilities, but not without strife and concern. From its role in optimizing supply chains to revolutionizing healthcare, this episode explores where quantum computing stands today and where it may take us next. Dr. Schwartz is joined by YCP Business Analytics major, Alyssa Russell to unpack the fundamentals of quantum computing and its growing impact across key industries.
When ChatGPT came on the scene a few years ago, educators at all levels were not sure what it means to include AI as part of the classroom experience. Some sought to exclude it from the classroom, while others sought ways to include education related to the applied use of AI tools. Three years later, the education sector still finds itself trying to figure out what it means to have AI as another tool to expand upon students’ learning opportunities, while managing the problematic uses. In this episode, Dr. Tamara Schwartz speaks with cybersecurity management student, Slater Brewer to explore both the positive and negative ethical uses of AI in the education sector.
In a world where artificial intelligence is evolving faster than we can document or teach, staying current has become a moving target. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with her colleague Dr. James Norrie, a Professor of Cybersecurity, Law & Strategy at the York College of PA, and the Founder and CEO of CyberconIQ, a human-centered cybersecurity company about the challenge of writing and educating in real time, when the facts may already be outdated by the time the ink dries and the lecture ends.
The movie Contact, starring Jodie Foster, features a memorable moment. While speaking with a group of students, Foster’s character—an astronomer searching for signs of extraterrestrial life—gazes up at the sky and says, “If it’s just us, it seems like an awful waste of space.” On this episode of WMD, we’re looking up—way up—into a mystery that has shifted from fringe theory to front-page news: Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena—what most of us once called UFOs. What happens when pilots, scientists, and even governments begin to acknowledge that we don’t always know what’s in our skies… or under our oceans? This week, Dr. Tamara Schwartz hands off the microphone to the YCP Tech Insight Club and their special guest, Rear Admiral Tim Gallaudet, United States Navy (Ret), who visited York College on March 21, 2025. RADM Gallaudet shared accounts of unexplained encounters witnessed over the years and called for federal policy reform, as the national conversation evolves from conspiracy theory to serious inquiry.
Video game environments like Roblox and Minecraft attract children as young as age 9. Although there are content restrictions, such as limited chat functionality, voice communications, and friend requests, many children bypass these protections, not understanding why they are in place. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with Nevin Ferry, a cybersecurity management student at the York College of PA, about how radical ideologies are being spread through gaming platforms.
In an age of rapid technological change, AI-generated content is reshaping communication, decision-making, and even the way we think. But with this power comes complexity—how do we craft prompts that cut through noise, avoid bias, and drive meaningful outcomes? And how does disruption, from shifting industries to information warfare, challenge the way we use and trust AI? On this episode of WMD Dr. Tamara Schwartzwill be talking with Lisa Flynn, a human systems engineer and a doctoral researcher at University of Oulu in Finland to explore the art and impact of prompt engineering in a world defined by uncertainty.
The podcast where we explore the impact of technology, social change, and disruption. The VUCA – volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity - just keeps on coming! Season 4 begins February 19th!
Management consultant and educator Peter Drucker has many famous quotes attributed to him, but one of his most memorable by far is “culture eats strategy for breakfast, operational excellence for lunch, and everything else for dinner.” Nowhere is this more apparent than in cybersecurity. A recent survey showed that 30% of your employees think cybersecurity is not their responsibility – 30%! In other words, the perspective that “cybersecurity is an IT problem to solve” persists, despite evidence to the contrary. On this episode of WMD, I will be talking with Amy Omrod, CEO of Cygence, an Australia-based cybersecurity consulting firm providing mission-focused and intelligence-led services to enable clients to reduce risk, and deliver optimal outcomes. Amy explains the importance of building a security first culture to generate sustainable organizational change.
Take a look around. Work is no longer a place you go, but something you engage in. Industries have become cyborg – a physical, human, digital hybrid. This creates intense pressure to maintain the IT infrastructure that is the lifeblood of the cyborg organization. Cybersecurity personnel take on that responsibility, which requires 24/7/365 vigilance. Is it any wonder that cybersecurity people are experiencing burn out at unprecedented levels? Not only is the job demanding, but more and more, cybersecurity personnel are becoming personally liable when security fails. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz welcomes back Paul Davis, Field CISO from JFrog to discuss building resilience in your cybersecurity workforce.
The 2017 NotPetya cyberattack exploited the software supply chain when malware was embedded in a routine update of the M.E. Docs software, an accounting software similar to Quicken, which is widely used in Ukraine. This past summer, Crowdstrikecustomers experienced problems when there was an error in a line of code. Although this was not a cyberattack, the impact of this error was widely felt, and both Crowdstrike and IT shops worked hard to provide a remedy as quickly as possible. These events highlight the importance of the software supply chain. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with Paul Davis, Field CISO from JFrog, a software supply chain platform that brings together DevOps, DevSecOps, and MLOps to provide end-to-end visibility, security, and control for automating delivery of trusted releases. Paul explains the complexity of software development and the challenges of an open source software development ecosystem, highlighting how a capability like JFrog can bring peace of mind.
On Wednesday, September 25, 2024, WMD Host, Dr. Tamara Schwartz participated in a panel on Artificial Intelligence sponsored by the Kinsley School of Engineering, Sciences & Technology and the Graham School of Business at the York College of Pennsylvania. She was joined by YCP colleagues, Dr. James Norrie, Dean Zeller, and Devon Tolbert, and Sierra Magnotta, an AI & Machine Learning Applied Scientist at the ed-tech company Finetune. The AI Forum content was developed and moderated by YCP studentsMadison Furrow, Will Galasso, and Nevin Ferry from the Tech Insight Club. The 90-minute session was divided into three segments. In the last of three segments, the panelists discuss IoT, Robotics, and Augmented/Virtual/Mixed Reality and how these technologies converge with AI and one another to create enormous capability.
On Wednesday, September 25, 2024, WMD Host, Dr. Tamara Schwartz participated in a panel on Artificial Intelligence sponsored by the Kinsley School of Engineering, Sciences & Technology and the Graham School of Business at the York College of Pennsylvania. She was joined by YCP colleagues, Dr. James Norrie, Dean Zeller, and Devon Tolbert, and Sierra Magnotta, an AI & Machine Learning Applied Scientist at the ed-tech company Finetune. The AI Forum content was developed and moderated by YCP students Ian Burns, Kaitie Ciano, and Robert Lewis and from the Tech Insight Club. The 90-minute session was divided into three segments. In the second of three segments, the panelists discuss how AI will change industries and jobs. They also explore the ethical implications of some of these changes.
On Wednesday, September 25, 2024, WMD Host, Dr. Tamara Schwartz participated in a panel on Artificial Intelligence sponsored by the Kinsley School of Engineering, Sciences & Technology and the Graham School of Business at the York College of Pennsylvania. She was joined by YCP colleagues, Dr. James Norrie, Dean Zeller, and Devon Tolbert, and Sierra Magnotta, an AI & Machine Learning Applied Scientist at the ed-tech company Finetune. The AI Forum content was developed and moderated by YCP studentsCarlos Gomez and Neisha Pierre from the Tech Insight Club. The 90-minute session was divided into three segments. In the first of three segments, the panelists define AI and discuss some of the ethical questions that AI creates.
One of the most common expressions amongst cybersecurity practitioners is “there is no fix for stupid.” This statement is usually accompanied by a shake of the head, laughter, or maybe a shrug. Another version of this sentiment might be “show me something that is fool proof, and I’ll find you a bigger fool.” Inherent in these comments is a sense of derision for the person who was exploited by the latest cyber threat vector. But the members of your organization are also your customers, and these kinds of statements demonstrate a lack of respect for the customer. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz is joined by Ken Fanger, from On Technology Partners. Ken has a message to share: deriding the customer would not win a lot of support in most parts of an organization, so why is it acceptable in the world of IT?
Manufacturing has traditionally been subtractive. We start with a piece of material, and we subtract material by cutting it away until we have the object we are trying to create. 3D printing, also referred to as additive manufacturing, works in reverse. We begin with a digital representation of an object, and a machine adds filament material to the object one tiny layer at a time until we have created something physical from its digital design. On this episode of WMD, York College of Pennsylvania cybersecurity management student, Conner Everett flips the microphone and interviews his guest, Dr. Tamara Schwartz as they discuss how 3D printing is changing manufacturing and the potential disruptions to the manufacturing industry and supply chains.
At some point in time we have all dreamed of being someone else or somewhere else. When you read a fantasy book that felt so real, you wished you could go to that place. Or maybe you were watching a professional sporting event and imagined that it was you who was making that slam dunk, homerun, impossible goal, or touchdown. That time at your first job when you dropped something, the entire room looked at you, and you just wished the floor would open up so you could be anywhere else. Video games give us the opportunity to escape reality, and with the growth of extended reality technologies, escaping our reality can feel ever more real. On this episode of WMD, two of Dr. Schwartz’s students from the York College of Pennsylvania, Sebastian Suriel-Diaz and Chase Shelton discuss how virtual, augmented, and extended reality are changing the video game experience.
We live in an age of surveillance, but few of us pay attention to exactly how closely we are being tracked. Devices like the Ring doorbell, the Apple Watch, Google’s search engine, and the smartphone in your pocket provide location, imagery, voice, interest, and health data. Social media provides the same. Few people, if anyone, read the user agreements in detail to find out exactly how that user data is being monetized by the companies that build those devices and software. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz hands off the microphone to three cybersecurity management students here at the York College of Pennsylvania: Nevin Ferry, Jesse Bitzer, and Brooks Almond, as they head to campus to ask their fellow students about their privacy and whether or not they understand what’s in the user agreements for the social media apps they use.
The sex tech industry is a recognized early adopter of emerging technology and driver of innovation. In fact, ecommerce and bandwidth technology are two examples of innovations that came from the sex tech industry. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz hands off the hosting microphone to Neisha Pierre, a cybersecurity management major and her cohost, Paul Gentile, both students here at the York College of Pennsylvania, as they explore how artificial intelligence and robotics are changing the world, with a particular focus on the use of AI and robots in the sex tech industry. This episode includes some explicit content.
Let’s play Buzzword Bingo. Business Analytics. Cybersecurity. AI. Big Data. ChatGPT. Blockchain. IoT. Let’s talk tech. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Schwartz talks with two of her YCP students, Madison Furrow a cybersecurity management major and Thomas Cooper a business analytics major about artificial intelligence and its intersection with everything.
When we think about human resources and personnel, we think about people…about humans! But AI is taking the personal out of personnel. Since the introduction of Human Resources Information Systems into the hiring process, the job search experience has become very different. Generative AI is already making an impact on resumes, and there are new applications of AI in the HR process being introduced all the time. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Schwartz talks with Cameron Gutshall, a business analytics student at the York College of Pennsylvania, to explore how AI is changing the experience of hunting for internships and jobs.
What is real? This is the question posed to the Velveteen Rabbit by the Skin Horse. He goes on to explain that “Real isn’t how you are made. You become.” The rise of Augmented and Virtual Reality technologies makes this question even more complicated. Is something “real” when we experience it in cyberspace? On this episode of WMD, Dr. Schwartz talks with cybersecurity management student Carlos Gomez about how virtual reality and augmented reality technologies are changing our perceptions of what is real.
Coaching in sport is extremely important to development both as an athlete and as a whole person. The tools a coach has at their disposal is a factor in how they can help their athletes prepare, train, reflect, and recover. Emerging technologies are creating new ways to assist in the player – coach relationship. In particular, IoT offers numerous opportunities related to tracking athlete health and performance. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz welcomes York College of Pennsylvania Cybersecurity student Luke Ragusa to wrestle with the many potential applications of IoT in the sport of wrestling.
On the last episode of WMD, one of Dr. Schwartz’s student veterans, Mr. Jon Ritt, a business analytics major at the York College of Pennsylvania, shared war stories from his first deployment to Southwest Asia to describe how technology is shaping the battlefield. On this episode, part two of a two-part story, Jon shares the story of his second deployment which occurred several years after the first deployment. He compares and contrasts how both he and the battlefield technology had changed between the deployments, and he speculates on how emerging technologies will continue to change the battlefield today. This episode includes some explicit content and may not be suitable for young children.
One of the best experiences that comes from being a professor is when a student takes the opportunity to share their personal story. Military veterans share a very special bond, as a veteran herself, Dr. Schwartz feels especially grateful for that connection when a student veteran shares their story. This is part one of a very special two-part episode of WMD, where one of those veterans, Mr. Jon Ritt, shares war stories from his multiple deployments to Southwest Asia. Jon is a business analytics major at the York College of Pennsylvania reinventing himself for a third career, and he uses his experiences to describe how technology is changing the battlefield. This episode includes some content that may not be suitable for young children.
Historically, National Security has always involved the most cutting edge of technology. As the world moves back into a RealPolitik posture with nations competing for power of a global scale, how we go to war is changing again. The newest arms race is in the application of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics on the battlefield. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talkswith cybersecurity students Jaylen Mills and Rae’Vaugn Fowler about how militaries, intelligence communities, and law enforcement are employing these emerging technologies.
George Orwell imagined it in 1984. Star Trek imagined it with the Borg, when they promised that we would all be assimilated. The Internet of Things, or IoT in industry jargon, is no longer the stuff of science fiction, but rather the stuff of science fact, and it is disrupting everything. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz hands off the microphone to York College of Pennsylvania cybersecurity management student Will Galasso, who interviews Ian Panulla, a software architect and CTO about how IoT is changing the way we experience the world.
Social engineering is a behavior as old as humankind, though the terminology is traced back to Dutch industrialist J.C. VanMarken in 1894. Van Marken believed that the world needed people who could handle social (human) problems, in much the same way that engineers handled mechanical problems. Today social engineering is understood to be behaviors and methods used by hackers and other bad actors to gain the trust of targeted individuals in order to access money, property, or information, often involving impersonation of those who are known to us. Just as people are finally beginning to understand the threat of phishing emails, generative AI is changing the social engineering game with the rise of Deepfake technology. On thisepisode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz is joined by Dr. Matthew Canham, a former Supervisory Special Agent with the FBI and co-founder of Psyber Labs, a technology start-up specializing in deepfake analysis and the psychological information operation strategies being employed by attackers. You can find them at https://deepfakedashboard.com/
Most textbooks are pretty dry. They lay out a lot of facts, but they are rarely engaging. When beginning the project to develop a textbook for the CYB 100 Infowars class, one student suggested that the book should try to re-create the classroom experience students have at York College. In order to do that, students were included at all phases of the development process, and one student in particular collaborated on the development of the book by creating all the visual content. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with her collaborator and student, Natilie McCallick, a senior cybersecurity management major at the York College of Pennsylvania about the experience they had while developing their new textbook on Information Warfare.
There has been a significant increase in maritime traffic in the last few decades as supply chains become more and more robust. With more targets of opportunity, there has been a parallel rise in piracy around the world. GPS has been an important technology to impact maritime navigation, but emerging technologies are not just facilitating better maritime travel, they are aiding piracy with capabilities like GPS spoofing. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz is joined by York College of Pennsylvania student Alex Kemble, a cybersecurity major and ship technician, as they discuss the impact of GPS spoofing on the maritime industry,
Boundaries come in many forms. They can be physical, verbal, psychological, emotional, virtual, and machine generated. Boundaries can be the subject of nation state conflict. They can be something you discuss while lying on your therapists couch. Boundaries come into play when we talk about establishing “work-life balance.” Since the launch of the Internet, boundaries have been changing, and Artificial Intelligence is continuing to push our proverbial boundaries. On this episode of WMD, I am joined once again by the author of the Polymathic Being Blog and recently published book Paradox: Book One of the Singularity Chronicles, Mr. Michael Woudenberg, as we become cartographers and explore the changing landscape of global boundaries.
One of the best parts of being a college professor is seeing students grow from recent high school graduates into young professionals. Students in the cybersecurity management program at the York College of Pennsylvania are required to complete a research project into a cybersecurity related topic of their choice. The students choose really interesting topics including the ethics of technologies, data privacy, the Dark Web, cyber risk, and just about anything you can imagine. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz hands over the WMD microphone to York College of Pennsylvania cybersecurity management students Matt DeSoye, Ty Foster, Jack Griffin, Colin Harris, and JJ Soyke to discuss their research and how it impacted their professional development as they head into their final semester, look for their first job, and begin “adulting”!
Who owns your face? What about your voice? Or your natural body movements Have you ever thought about what makes you uniquely you? The recent actors’ and writers’ strikes brought the potential impacts of AI to public attention, and the actors’ guild was particularly concerned about deepfakes because an actors, voice, appearance, and body movements are part of their proprietary brand, and every time they work, what used to be their personal property is captured on film as data. The very same data that can be used to create deepfakes. If we as humans can’t “own” what makes us uniquely who we are, and instead we become the property of anyone who captures our likeness, how do we maintain our unique identity? On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz hands over the WMD hosting position to York College of Pennsylvania cybersecurity management student Allen Yang who will explore the potential benefits and harms of deepfake technology.
Have you ever thought about what cyberspace looks like? We imagine video games, social media, the output of a search engine, or maybe something more Hollywood like the Matrix. But what do invisible spectrum signals look like? How do you have situational awareness of a place that is invisible? On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz hands off the microphone to York College of Pennsylvania cybersecurity management student Joel Appiah-Kubi to explore the many ways that business analytics can be used to improve cybersecurity.
Each week millions of people tune in to watch as two teams of eleven players each face one another across the gridiron in a test of physical strength, speed, and agility. Just for the love of the game. Other than live-streaming the games, what roles could cybersecurity possibly play in such a physical contest? You might be surprised! I'll be talking with two of my cybersecurity management students here at York College of Pennsylvania., Drew Thomas, and Carter, to explore the many ways technology and data are changing the NFL. From communication, to safety, to performance analytics.
It's time for a new season of WMD! Listen in as we explore the impact of technology, social change, and disruption.
Movies like iRobot, WALL-E, and the Terminator portray humanoid robots as characters in movies about robots. Other movies, like Iron Man, implement robotics technology as part of the context of the story, such as Iron Man’s suit and swarming Iron Man drones. But changes in robotic technology are beginning to catch up to the Hollywood imagination, and robotics are generating new capabilities in the entertainment industry to create movies and experiences. Things like sophisticated motion capture puppetry, aerial footage shot from drones, and interactive robotic characters in amusement parks are becoming commonplace. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz hands off the hosting seat to York College of Pennsylvania Cybersecurity student Allen Yang and his friends to explore the many uses of robots in entertainment.
Automation in the manufacturing industry has been going on for years, beginning with the very first assembly line designed by Henry Ford. With wide adoption of robotics and the Internet of Things, the next big impact is coming from the implantation of AI and machine learning, which will interact with the existing automation technologies to enable things like computer vision and smart factories. Having no humans in the manufacturing line with machines that direct themselves is the stuff of science fiction. On this episode of WMD, I hand off the microphone to York College of Pennsylvania cybersecurity student Devon Tolbert, as he interviews his friends, Alex, Bradley, and Cullen, who attend other colleges who are studying engineering, computer science, and the trades within the manufacturing industry, as they discuss the effects of AI in manufacturing, and what this could mean for the future of humans in the workforce, asking the question: is the impending future of machine learning horrifying or overwhelmingly positive to society.
The military uses robotics in a variety of ways, drones both in the air and under water, and robots that can be used to find IEDs or dismantle bombs. But more robots and more communications systems operating on the tactical edge, create requirements for better access to the spectrum and greater bandwidth. On this episode of WMD I again hand off the microphones to two of my cybersecurity students, Devin Marks and Colin Harris who explore the intersection of 5G and robotic technology on the battlefield. The will explore both the applications of the technology ask ethical questions about the use of unmanned technology as it becomes more and more routine to use it in war.
Power to the people, or is it power to the AI? In January, ChatGPT became a household word. Artificial Intelligence is impacting every industry, and now, from the music industry, to the sports industry, to the movie industry, it’s altering the course of entertainment. Deepfakes are bringing dead movie actors back to life, or allowing aging actors to return to their youth. [if you have seen the latest Indiana Jones movie, (spoiler alert) you will see Harrison Ford in his youth, in scenes that he recorded as an octogenarian] A.I can reproduce the voices of artists to make them sing songs they’ve never created. In this episode of WMD, I hand off the microphones to two of my cybersecurity students – Keith Chatmon and Joel Appiah-Kubi, who will discuss the many ways A.I is changing the entertainment industry and the world.
Take a look around you, how many devices in your environment need batteries to operate? As we explore emerging technologies in the clean energy space, we need to consider energy storage, and that means batteries. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz speaks with business analytics major Myles Herzog from the York College of Pennsylvania to explore the evolving world of battery technology.
Imagine a day in the future when you have an organ transplant from your own cells. Or receive a joint replacement constructed of real bone. As crazy as this sounds, healthcare is experimenting with 3D printing to make these kinds of crazy ideas a real possibility. On today’s episode of WMD, I will be talking with cybersecurity soon to be graduate, Lance Fries to explore the uses of 3D printing in healthcare.
During the pandemic, healthcare was disrupted no only by the covid-19 disease, but traditional patient care was upended. With new technologies continuing to emerge, it is becoming easier to visit the doctor without ever leaving you home, but the new version of House calls” does not involve the doctor coming to your home. Instead, technologies like telemedicine and virtual reality are changing the game. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz speaks with two students from the cybersecurity program at York College of Pennsylvania, George Papageorgiou and Paige Reinhart to explore emerging technology and the healthcare industry.
The closing line of the 1895 poem, Judge Softly, by Mary T. Lathrup says, “Take the time to walk a mile in his moccasins.” This line evolved into the expression, “you can’t really understand another person’s experience until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.” Empathy is essentially the ability to see things from another person’s perspective and imagine yourself in their place, but modern technologies are eroding our empathy. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with Pastor Caleb McClure of the Gettysburg Presbyterian Church to explore the importance of empathy and how we might overcome the empathy disruptions caused by technology.
Artificial Intelligence, specifically generative AI has been scraping the Internet to “create” new artifacts in the form of text, software, art, and other expressions previously thought to be the realm of humans. Much of the data being ingested and regurgitated by generative AI are considered to be intellectual property. If a human were to use this data, we would be required to cite our sources or license the use of the material. Without consent to use, humans would be violating IP laws, but we have not established the rules of the game for generative AI engines like ChatGPT or DALL-E. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz welcomes back her colleague and former cohost, Dr. James Norrie, the founder of CyberconIQ to discuss the legal and ethical questions that are raised by generative AI.
Have you ever been bungee jumping? Are you a by the book rules follower? Have you ever used the expression “It’s always better to ask forgiveness than permission”? Your answers to these questions speak to your perceptions of risk, and they have significant bearing on the types of social engineering approaches to which you are vulnerable. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz welcomes her colleague and former cohost, Dr. James Norrie, Founder and CEO of CyberconIQ to discuss how CyberconIQ is disrupting cybersecurity training.
We continue our exploration of generative AI as we learn about Radio GPT, the new digitally curated radio program with AI “personalities” filling the role of DJ. On this episode of WMC, Dr. Tamara Schwartz is joined once again by WVYC’s Professor Jeff Schiffman to discuss what happens when content curating algorithms collide with Chat GPT.
What is art? Emerging technologies have always created new means for self-expression, a generative artificial intelligence such as DALL-E and and Stable Diffusion are two of the newest tools. When an AI generated picture won a prize in the Colorado State Fair last summer, there was a public outcry – did the image really qualify as art or was it simply a data analytics effort? When generative AI is used, is the resultant image truly creative? Is it truly art? On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz is joined once again by digital art curator Capucine Jenkins, to discuss the implications of generative AI and the future of art.
With behavioral surplus (the collection of personal behavioral data) becoming a traded commodity, and Behavioral Analytics improving, the pursuit of our personal data through what Dr. Shoshonna Zuboff calls “extraction architectures,” it’s difficult to imagine a company choosing privacy for competitive advantage, over the profitable exploitation of an absence of privacy. But as we the surveilled are catching on, the interest in business models that respect our privacy becomes more interesting to us. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with York College cybersecurity management student Noah Wilt to explore the emerging market for data privacy.
Cryptocurrencies have become a widely talked about topic in recent weeks with the collapse of the FTX crypto exchange. These currencies are created and facilitated on a technology called Blockchain, a framework that allows hundreds of computers to work simultaneously to create and facilitate transactions of crypto currencies. This technology is considered by some to be Antifragile by nature, but is it? And how could this technology benefit cybersecurity as a whole? On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with York College cybersecurity management student Matthew Shillingford to explore the possible benefits of antifragile principles and blockchain technology for cybersecurity.
Sophocles once said, “I would prefer even to fail with honor than to win by cheating.” No so in the world of video games, but “winners never cheat, and cheaters never win,” as the saying goes. And in the world of video game cheats, the consequences could be a significant loss in the pursuit of unearned victory. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with York College cybersecurity management student Brendan Li to explore the gray market world of video game cheats, their link with the dark web, and cyberattack.
If you have ever spent time with a person who claims to be a jack of all trades and a master of none, you have spent time with a polymath. Today, you get to listen to the meandering chaos of a VUCA conversation between two such individuals. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with the author of polymathic being, Michael Woudenberg, who provides counter intuitive insights from technology innovation philosophy, psychology, and more. Hang on to your seat, as we start with blockchain and threatcasting, and see where the journey takes us.
Have you ever thought about how much of your daily experience is satellite driven? Maybe you used a map or GPS application to find your way somewhere today. Possibly you live streamed your favorite show or movie, or have plans to do that when you get home later.Maybe you listed to satellite radio during the commute. When the USSR launched Sputnik 1 in 1957, the world watched with wonder as the first satellite orbited the earth. Today, there are over 5,500 active satellites orbiting the earth, and one estimate predicts the launch of an additional 58,000 satellites by the year 2030! On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks withYork College cybersecurity management student Lance Fries about the proliferation of satellites and the startling absence of public policy.
Cybersecurity is often associated with Chicken Little or the Boy who cried, “Wolf!” Cyberthreat has become so persistent and cyberattack so frequent, that those of us who work in the industry exhaust both themselves and others out with our constant reminders to be cautious and careful. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with York College cybersecurity management student Jayden Hull to explore the impact of “constant vigilance” and what he describes as “OpSec Fatigue” in a world of social media.
Following the typical Moore’s Law trajectory, smart home devices are becoming easier to use and more affordable. The cost efficiencies offered by smart thermostats, smart water heaters, and IoT light switches and electrical outlets, present attractive opportunities for homeowners and landlords. Smart meters support optimization of the electrical grid for large communities. IoT devices such as the Amazon Ring doorbell offer enhanced security. But these devices also collect lots and lots of personal data. As a homeowner, these tradeoffs between privacy and efficiency or security are a choice. But what happens when the landlord chooses to implement IoT devices? How does the implementation of these devices affect tenant privacy rights? How does it benefit tenants and landlords? On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with York College cybersecurity management student George Papageorgiou to explore the implementation of smart home devices in real estate investment properties.
Sports are the ultimate unifier! The spirit of competition transcends borders, rises above social class, and unifies people across communities. Sports can be a simple pickup game of basketball, but it is also BIG BUSINESS. And as with all industries, technology is shaping the world of sports. From arenas and stadiums to athlete training and audience experience, technology is disrupting the world of competition. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with two of her cybersecurity students, Joel Appiah-Kubi and Keith Chatmon about the many ways technology is disrupting the sports industry.
What is art? Emerging technologies have always created new means for self-expression. When photography was invented, there was tremendous dissent in the art world which led to how art was perceived. With the rise of digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and blockchain technology, how we define art is continuing to evolve. Saatchi Art is an online art gallery redefining what it means to buy and sell art in a digital world. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with art curator Capucine Jenkins, Senior Manager of Digital Art and NFTs at Saatchi Art.
Welcome back to season 2 of Weapons of Mass Disruption. The podcast where we explore the impact of technology, social change, and disruption. Mt VUCA continues to erupt, impacting industries of all kinds. Join Dr. Tamara Schwartz, and get ready to lace up your boots as we hop out of our canoe and head off into unknown territory.
Look around you. How many things can you count in your sight line that include a battery? Batteries have been around forever, and yet there is significant innovation in the battery industry. As the Internet of Things expands, battery technology becomes more critical to support the emerging capabilities of so many new technologies. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz hands off the hosting seat to another of her cybersecurity students from the York College of Pennsylvania, Em Fritz, who will share with you the many changes in battery technology.
The big disruptions wrought by technology are easy to identify, but more often than not, the disruptions are subtle and occur over time. In this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz describes the approach she takes in the classroom to get students thinking about some of the bigger ethical questions presented by technological innovation. She then hands off the episode to Jimmy Metzgar, Mariah Robertson, and Matt DeSoye who continue their previous discussion about artificial intelligence as they wrestle with various contexts for applying AI and the ethical questions they create.
What is it that makes us uniquely human? Is it the ability to think? Is it the ability to create? What does it even mean to think? On this episode of Weapons of Mass Disruption, three cybersecurity students from the York College of Pennsylvania wrestle with these questions as they discuss artificial intelligence. Once again, Dr. Tamara Schwartz hands off the job as host to one of her students, Jimmy Metzgar, who is joined in this conversation by two other students, Mariah Robertson and Matt DeSoye to discuss artificial intelligence.
Remember the days when asking someone “are you seeing things?” was a suggestion that maybe they were hallucinating? Well, things have changed! With the improvement of augmented and virtual reality technology, not only is it normal to see things that aren’t there, we actually seek out the experience! On this episode of Weapons of Mass Disruption, York College of Pennsylvania cybersecurity student, Mariah Robertson fills in for Dr. Tamara Schwartz as the host of WMD, to discuss the advancement of augmented and virtual reality technology and its application in the Healthcare industry.
Since 1965, Moore’s law has explained the exponential increase in computing power, with the number of circuits on a circuit board doubling every 12 months and the price of that computing power decreasing by half. But Moore’s law relies on our understanding of physics, and eventually the laws of physics will prevail. We have been anticipating the end of Moore’s law since it hit age 50 just 7 years ago. So what’s next? Enter the laws of quantum physics, which change the game entirely! Join Dr. Tamara Schwartz as she talks with cybersecurity major Ty Foster about the emergence of quantum computing, which makes today’s supercomputers seem almost quaint by comparison.
Covid-19 had disrupted our world in numerous ways, but perhaps no industry has been disrupted quite so significantly as healthcare. During the last two years medical facilities have endured significant change. Enter artificial intelligence. From analysis of constantly changing epidemiological data to providing mental health support, AI is changing the face of healthcare. The need for AI in healthcare is not in doubt, but how much power should we give to medical robots? On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz speaks with cybersecurity major Matt DeSoye to explore the application of AI and robotics in healthcare.
If you are a true crime aficionado or just enjoy a good episode of your favorite television police procedural, you have seen the increased role technology plays in forensic analysis, evidence intelligence, and the rise of the cybercriminal. Advances in the Internet of Things have facilitated significant changes in crime solving, incident management, and emergency medical services. On today’s episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with York College of Pennsylvania student Kevin Krippa, a Cybersecurity Management major with a minor in Criminal Justice, who also serves as an Emergency Medical Technician, to explore Smart-connected people, iDetectives and how IoT is making waves in police work.
What is reality? Something we don’t think about is that reality is different for every one of us. It is based on our perceptions. We see things as we are, and we are all different. Enter the world of virtual reality and augmented reality, and things get even weirder. On this episode of WMD, I talk with another of my students in the cybersecurity management program at the York College of Pennsylvania, Ian Burns. Get ready to get weird as we enter the world of virtual and augmented reality.
When the subject of robotics arises, many people tend to think of robotics club orthe movie iRobot, but the scope and reality of robotics is a vast world that we all interact with every day. Often these tools are simply overlooked because they have become very integrated within society. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with cybersecurity management student, Natilie McCallick to explore the industry of robotics and just how universal they really are, and they question whether the increase of universal use is as good as it sounds.
From the mullet to bell bottom jeans, everything old is new again…and again…and again. With the rise of social media, pop culture and 21st century fashion trends change much faster than they did back in the 20th century. The rapid adoption and discard of new fashion trends has had a huge impact on the fashion industry, from the rise of fast fashion to the recent creation of online clothing consignment shops. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with her colleague Dr. Karen Robinson about the fashion industry and the many ways technology has disrupted how we dress.
In cybersecurity we look to the ongoing war between Russia & Ukraine to understand how threat evolves in cyberspace. Russia has been honing its hybrid warfare tactics for over a decade, preparing for its present war with Ukraine and its larger confrontation with NATO. On this episode of WMD Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks about the recent history of Russian hybrid warfare and the ongoing confrontation with NATO.
When did you last spend time in the dressing room? E-Commerce has been shifting shopping of all kinds to the Internet, and during the pandemic, this shift expanded exponentially. Sears was the original catalog business model, but they found that people preferred brick and mortar shopping, and in 1997, when Amazon adopted the Sears Catalog business model for the Internet, Sears closed their warehouses. But clothes shopping online can be a frustrating experience because of the absence of the dressing room. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with her colleague Dr. Ming Ma about the adoption of Virtual Reality to create an online dressing room experience.
Maj Ben Brooks returns to continue the conversation about disruption in law enforcement. Technology and information warfare have significantly impacted the role of law enforcement in our communities, but calls to “defund the police” and cries of “Black Lives Matter” have become weaponized narratives that thwart our ability to create meaningful change. On this episode of WMD Ben and Tammy continue their exploration of how understanding the impacts of cognitive overload, the attention economy, and how our brains work might help us get out of our land-locked canoe in the VUCA mountains.
What does it mean to serve and protect? What does it mean to “police” a community? What it is like to be part of a “policed” community? We understand the importance of the rule of law and the concept of justice, but we are unclear exactly what that means. Law enforcement is lost in the wilderness of Mount VUCA as our society wrestles with these questions. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with retired Pennsylvania State Trooper, Maj Ben Brooks, to explore how technology, information warfare, and brain science might provide new insights related to officer safety and community safety.
The Covid-19 pandemic has been disruptive in so many ways, that it seems cliché to identify Covid as a disruptor of Christmas. Our hope was that with things returning to normal once the vaccines became available, that we can have a “normal” Christmas this year. But if “normal” is not a return to the pre-Covid status quo, what does a “normal” Christmas look like? And is “normal” overrated? On this episode, Dr. Tamara Schwartz looks back at the past year of adventures on Mount VUCA and explores the Christmas blessings of disruption.
Supply Chain disruption has been receiving considerable attention in the news. In fact, organizations who previously did not have “a logistics beat” have added expertise to their reporting teams. On the last episode of WMD we discussed the bullwhip effect in supply chains. On this episode, Tamara is joined once again by Dr. Mohammed Raja of the York College of Pennsylvania Supply Chain Management program, to continue the discussion of supply chain complexity and the many VUCA factors disrupting the global supply networks.
Back in the late ‘90s, Proctor & Gamble discovered that diapers were having a strange effect on the supply chain. Despite the relatively steady rate of diaper consumption amongst babies, the demand from retailers placing orders to the wholesalers demonstrated dramatic fluctuations, which were even more erratic when wholesalers ordered from P&G. This strange demand behavior, which was due to stockpiling at various levels within the supply chain, became known as “the bullwhip effect.” This VUCA phenomenon has been exacerbated in the present by the Covid-19 pandemic, the full impact of which we are just now beginning to really experience. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with colleagues Dr. Mohammed Raja and Dr. Matt Shatzkin of the York College of PA Supply Chain Management program.
Welcome to the Wilderness of Mirrors where nothing is as it seems, and all is just a reflection of some distant motive, actor, or ideology. Cyberspace is the land of anonymity, pseudonymity, and cognitive dissonance. A place rife with competition for power where threat attribution is, if not impossible, extraordinarily difficult. In 1989, when Tim-Berners Lee proposed the idea of the World Wide Web, he was simply trying to make a day in his life easier. The response from his boss was “vague, but exciting.” Little did he know that Mount VUCA was starting to wake. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with her Infowars students about the World Wide Web and how it has disrupted reality.
On the last episode of WMD, “Daily News…Disrupted!” we talked with Dr. Renee Tacka of the York College of Pennsylvania about the impact CNN’s launch on the news cycle. We also explored the impact of the Internet on the delivery of printed news. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz continues the conversation with Dr. Tacka about disruption in the news media industry and how the Internet impacted not just the delivery medium, but what “news” content looks like. We also explore the disruptive impact of the mobile phone and social media not just on the news industry, but on human attention and the information ecosystem.
The late 20th Century was the heyday of Big Media. It was also the last time we had consistent information narratives in the national news cycle. Beginning with the launch of CNN in 1980, the world entered a 24-hour news cycle. A little over a decade later came the Internet, and a decade after that came the smart phone, each one disrupting the news cycle and the information environment a bit more, until another decade had passed and we find ourselves in the land of “choose your own news.” On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with someone who lived through the disruption and decline of the news industry, Dr. Renee Tacka, an Assistant Professor of Marketing from the York College of Pennsylvania.
Since the nation began to reopen this summer following wide availability of the Covid-19 vaccine, Main Street America has struggled to get back to pre-pandemic operations. According to 50% of small business owners across the country, in 2021 it has gotten more difficult to find qualified people to hire compared to one year ago. The labor situation is particularly challenging for the restaurant industry, affecting not only the ability to staff restaurants, but other parts of the industry value chain. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz talks with George Papageorgiou, who is encountering these challenges first hand as he runs his family’s restaurant, New Freedom Restaurant in York, PA, and conquering Mount VUCA with his creativity and resilience.
When images of George Floyd’s death hit social media in May 2020, people all over the country hit the streets to remind our nation that Black Lives Matter (too). This message was met by competing narratives such as “Blue Lives Matter,” “Stop Asian Hate,” and “All Lives Matter.” As conversations on race began to consider the concept of “systemic racism” then-President Trump banned government training that was supported by Critical Race Theory (CRT). This obscure academic theory has become weaponized, disrupting positive conversations about race and its role in U.S. History. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz is joined by Pastor Joe Green of the St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Harrisburg, PA to talk about how to have productive conversations about race in an environment of weaponized narratives.
The motivational speaking industry was valued at approximately $1.9 billion in 2019, with projected annual growth of 4.9% and reaching $2.3 billion by 2025. Then Covid-19 hit, and organizations started to ask, “How valuable is a motivational speaker when you can’t put them up on stage in front of your people?” When Covid disrupted everything in March of 2020, professional speakers like Dr. James Smith, Jr. were adrift in the VUCA mountains trying to figure out what an industry dependent on face to face experience looked like in a quarantined world. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz is joined by her good friend Dr. James “a lightning rod in the professional and personal development arena” to share personal lessons about responding to disruption.
Cyberthreat has been mischaracterized as a technical problem with a technical solution, but if it were really just a technical problem, we would have solved it by now. In other words, cyberthreat is a journey up Mt. VUCA. In the wake of numerous cyberattacks against critical infrastructure industries, the nature of cyberthreat has been in the spotlight, disrupting not only these critical infrastructure industries, but also our understanding of the organizational role of cybersecurity. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz discusses the dynamic cyber-based view of the firm, and how organizations need to begin thinking about cybersecurity for strategic competitive advantage.
According to Business Insider, the Podcasting industry is expected to hit $1 billion dollars this year. Although the podcast was invented almost 20 years ago, this audio format has really exploded in the last 5 years. The Covid-19 pandemic pushed the industry engine into overdrive, as celebrities, politicians, and obscure college professors looked for ways to connect with an audience. On this episode of Weapons of Mass Disruption, Dr. Tamara Schwartz is joined by WVYC’s Professor Jeff Schiffman from the York College of Pennsylvania to explore the collision of podcasting and talk radio.
Between the pinnacle of the music industry in 1999 when it was valued at approximately $40 billion dollars, and the trough in 2014 where the industry was valued at less than $15 billion dollars, there has been a love/hate relationship with the disruptive force of technology. It’s no accident that the decline which began in 1999 aligned with the rise of Napster. The landscape of the industry was suddenly unfamiliar, as artists, radio broadcasters, and the larger music industry found themselves facing Mount VUCA. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz looks back at 20 years of music industry disruption with Professor Jeff Schiffman, York College of Pennsylvania and manager of WVYC radio.
We live in a VUCA world – volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous – where the only constant is change, complexity is growing, and all the ambiguity this creates is making us feel anxious and uncertain. The world is being disrupted over and over again, and the risks previously categorized as “unknown unknowns” have become commonplace. Everywhere we turn, Mount VUCA is in various stages of volcanic eruption. Join IQ4U’s Dr. Tamara Schwartz and her invited guests in this new podcast exploring the intersection of globalization, technology, business, ethics, and social change as we learn to live with Weapons of Mass Disruption.
Welcome to our new podcast Weapons of Mass Disruption! Transitioning from the hit podcast IQ4U comes a new technology podcast produced and hosted by Dr. Tamara Schwartz.
The term "Cyberthreat" has been mischaracterized as a technical problem with a technical solution, but if it were really just a technical problem, we would have solved it by now. In other words, cyberthreat is a journey up Mt. VUCA. In the wake of numerous cyberattacks against critical infrastructure industries, the nature of cyberthreat has been in the spotlight, disrupting not only these critical infrastructure industries, but also our understanding of the organizational role of cybersecurity. So join Dr. Tamara Schwartz in a journey towards understanding this ever evolving world of technology and the mountains we face while in this cyber-world.