Intelligence Analysis students participate in the Intelligence Studies Consortium

The Institute of World Politics hosted the fourth Spring Conference and Career Fair of the Intelligence Studies Consortium on March 2 in Reston, Virginia. JMU co-sponsored the event alongside eleven other academic institutions.

Philip Baxter, professor of Intelligence Analysis, and nine IA students attended the conference, “The Intelligence Community: Back to the Future,” to present their research on speaker panels and in a poster session. The event brought together subject matter experts and faculty members from across the intelligence landscape and provided a platform for discussions on current and future challenges in global intelligence, counterintelligence, and national security.

Distinguished speakers included Long Nguyen, IWP trustee and founder, chairman and CEO of Pragmatics, who emphasized the critical role of contractors in the intelligence ecosystem. John Ballard, president of National Intelligence University, highlighted the importance of mentoring future leaders in national security.

The symposium featured four panels covering topics ranging from past events and future strategies to emerging technologies and intelligence challenges. Discussions included the geopolitical implications of lithium, the impact of climate change on global initiatives, and the role of artificial intelligence in modern warfare.

The ISC provided a valuable platform for Lindsay Toothaker and Jahnavi Muthyala, IA majors, to showcase their semester-long research on CRISPR-Cas9 development in China and its military applications. “The feedback and questions from professionals and faculty in the intelligence field were insightful, guiding our future research pursuits,” Toothaker said. The experience expanded her understanding of diverse issues in intelligence and national security, including climate change and AI.

For Intelligence Analysis major Alex Temoshok, the diverse range of projects presented offered valuable insights into intelligence subsets, enriching his understanding. “The event provided an excellent platform for me to showcase my research efforts and network with other students and professionals in the field,” Temoshok recalled. “It was gratifying to demonstrate the presentation skills honed through JMU’s Intelligence Analysis program.”

“This is a unique opportunity for students to present their work to active practitioners, get experience briefing in front of larger audiences, and get some critical feedback,” Baxter said. “While JMU was the only university to send undergrads, our students did a fantastic job and had work on par with graduate students in attendance.”