Armed with Science | Tag Archive

Ten for ’10: Top Armed with Science Podcasts of the Year

Filed under Podcast, STEM by John Ohab on December 15, 2010 at 12:12 pm {no comments}

This RSS feed icon inexplicably wearing headphones represents the fusion of the Internets and radio.

Dr. John Ohab is a new technology strategist at the Department of Defense Public Web Program.

Way back in 2009 – before Defense Fellows were redesigning Barbie, blood was being delivered to Soldiers from the sky, and researchers were developing The Science of Cyberspace – the Defense Media Activity launched a weekly podcast, “Armed with Science: Research and Applications for the Modern Military.”

The podcasts featured live interviews with Defense Department subject matter experts, who discussed the critical role that science and technology play in helping our servicemembers operate more safely and efficiently. In the course of 64 episodes, the show covered a wide variety of scientific disciplines, including science policy, education, and history, and brought together collaborators from across the federal government.

Having had the opportunity to host many of those discussions, I thought it would be fun to revisit the 10 most popular podcasts of the year. I’ve arranged them below according to the number of listens. Stay tuned for our top videos and blog posts…

Which podcast episode is your favorite? Leave a comment, and let me know!

10. Air Force Scientists Propelling New Technologies

The Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) is awesome. Joan Fuller, a program director, and Air Force Maj. Michelle Ewy, a program manager, at AFOSR’s Aerospace, Chemical, and Material Science Directorate are no exception. They joined the podcast for Women’s History Month to talk about how AFOSR is pushing the boundaries of science and technology and providing exciting career opportunities for women.

Listen

9. Using Geoscience in Support of Marine Corps Operations

Who ensures that Marines can conduct the full gamut of military operations on land, in the air and on the sea? Geoscientists, of course! In this podcast, Marine Corps Master Sgt. Kari Hubler, a 17-year veteran of the Marine Corps’ meteorology and oceanography community, explains how all forecasting is based on gathering data, analyzing the environment to determine what physical processes are affecting it, and then forecasting how those variables will change over time.

Listen

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DoD Unveils New Social Media Hub

Filed under Technology by John Ohab on July 21, 2010 at 5:28 pm {one comment}

DoD Social Media Hub is designed to help the DoD community use social media to share responsibly and effectively

The Social Media Hub is designed to help the DoD community use social media responsibly and effectively.

Joelle Zarcone is a public affairs specialist on the social media team in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs.

Today, the Department of Defense (DoD) launched the newly improved Social Media Hub.

Social media at DoD is not new—we have been focused on emerging media for quite a while. What is new, however, is our renewed set of expectations for social media here at DoD, and as a result, the Social Media Hub has undergone a complete facelift.

With the unveiling of the updated Social Media Hub, we hope it will exist as more than just a website advertising DoD’s latest Facebook posts or Twitter feed. Rather, our goal is to create a “hub” in every essence of the word—a place where anyone interested in learning more about social media practices amongst the services, as well helpful social media tips and tricks, could come to find everything they might need right at their fingertips.

The redesigned Social Media Hub is meant to serve as a resource, an online tool box for individuals who want to find out how to register their own page, voice social media-related questions, or just stay up to date on the latest DoD social media news.

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The Dangers of Friending Strangers: the Robin Sage Experiment

Filed under Cyber Security, Education & Culture, Technology by John Ohab on July 21, 2010 at 11:45 am {48 comments}

Would you approve this person's friend request? (Photo courtesy Provide Security)

By Petty Officer 2nd Class Elliott Fabrizio

Adding tons of Facebook friends doesn’t necessarily make you popular; it may actually put you and the Defense Department (DoD)’s information security at risk—especially when you have friends you don’t even know.

Provide Security, a cyber security company, illustrated this danger with the Robin Sage Experiment. The experiment created fake Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn profiles under the alias “Robin Sage.” A photo of a cute girl (borrowed from an adult website) and the job title “Cyber Threat Analyst” completed the fake profiles.

Thomas Ryan, co-founder & managing partner at Provide Security, posing as Robin, sent requests and established social network connections with more than 300 professionals in the National Security Agency, DoD, and global 500 corporations.

Robin’s new friends revealed information to Ryan that violated military operational security and personal security restrictions.

“The worst compromises of operational security I had were troops discussing their locations and what time helicopters were taking off,” Ryan said during a phone conversation.

People also sought Robin’s professional advice, invited her to dinners and offered her job opportunities. Not bad in this economy for a person who doesn’t even exist.

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