Clear and Present
11 episodes Last Updated: Sep 22, 23
Clear and Present provides a bi-weekly forum for today’s leaders in biodefense science and policy to address the most cutting-edged and provocative topics and ideas in biomedicine, biowarfare, and national and global biosecurity. Hosted by Dr. James Giordano, Executive Director of the Institute for Biodefense Research, a federally supported metropolitan Washington DC think tank, the Clear and Present podcast brings listeners insightful discussion of major trends, challenges, and opportunities arising in and from the intersection of the ever-advancing fields of bioscience and their impact upon biowarfare, biosecurity, and biodefense - both nationally and upon the contemporary world stage.
Episodes
This week's episode of Clear and Present podcast takes a closer look at biodefense and the Department of Defense's revised biosecurity postures. We're joined by Dr. Diane DiEuliis from the National Defense University, who'll walk us through the current and future states of biodefense. Tune in now and let us know what you think! The episode is available on iTune, Spotify and Google Podcast.
Join Dr. James Giordano and Dr Denise Baken for part 2 of their exploration into Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP) and the biosecurity implications. Tune in to listen to the rest of their conversation on UAPs.
On this episode of Clear & Present Dr. James Giordano and Dr Denise Baken go behind the current headlines on UAPs to give some background to this topic and offer context to the biosecurity implications, from a scientific analysis perspective.
Jul 20, 2023
Disruptive technologies disrupting thought?
In an age when AI is being used by everyone from scientists modeling new molecules to tweens doing their homework, it's not hard to imagine it is changing how we think. In this talk we explore how thought might be being affected not just by AI, but from all of our rapidly accumulating technology. Pat Scannell, a technologist who has been studying how technology affects cognition, makes the case it is not just affected, but is being disrupted, and that this is one of the most important issues facing humanity, biosecurity, and national defense.
On this episode of Clear & Present Dr. James Giordano and Dr Niko Kohls discuss the recent upset regarding UAPs and the proverbial whistleblower Mr. Grush. Giordano and Kohls consider what would cause Grush to risk his reputation and career and the obligation he has to become one if he does believe he has accurate information. Giordano and Kohls also consider what the response to Grush means and what all the possibilities mean.
Dr. Giordano and Dr DiEuliius dive into the recently released Senatorial report that points to causative factors for the global Covid pandemic. Giordano and DiEuliius discuss the nature of research involved in studying various forms of microbial disorders and their possibility of human infection. These two experts consider what the report says for the current needs of biosecurity, and in the case of covid both retrospectively in terms of what happened and prospectively of what we have learned.
Mar 05, 2023
Havana Syndrome: Bouncing the Reality Check?
Drs Denise Baken and James Giordano discuss the scientific, technological, patient-centered and military implications and issues of the recently released Intelligence report on Havana Syndrome. Dr. Giordano, who served as a consulting forensic neuroscientist on the investigation of the original patients working at the US Embassy in Havana, discusses the questions raised by the report, in light of the investigations and analyses conducted to date.
Before the end of the year Dr. James Giordano and Mr. Robert Williams recorded a discussion on the recent rhetoric from Russian President Vladimir Putin and the possibility of the use of nuclear weapons. On this episode of Clear and Present Mr. Williams discusses his views on the potential for the use of low yield nuclear weapons and the potential consequences of such use. He also discusses the potential for the use of nuclear weapons as a signaling device or as a weapon of terror, even at lower yields, and the need for careful consideration of the potential consequences of nuclear weapon use in any form.
On this episode of Clear and Present Dr. DiEuliis and Dr. Giordano discusses the lessons learned from COVID-19, and what preparedness looks like moving forward in the modern world. They expand on the international relationships that could help or hinder depending on communication and the difficulties in surveillance required to be ready for the next global health crisis.
This episode of Clear and Present takes a look at the ethics of neuroscience, AI, public health, and gun violence. Dr. Giordano shares insights from his experiences as a clinician and scholar on this important current issue at the interface of the social sciences and technology.