One of the world’s most eminent pioneers in the field of information operations is now an adjunct professor at the Institute of World Politics.
IWP President John Lenczowski announced on January 9 that John Yurechko is now an adjunct professor of information operations and information warfare. Yurechko is presently the Director of Analysis and Collection at the Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive, serving under the Director of National Intelligence (DNI).
“Having such a distinguished scholar-practitioner in such a vital field of statecraft is an important development at the Institute of World Politics,” said Lenczowski in announcing the Yurechko appointment. “Dr. Yurechko is one of the world’s leading authorities in information operations and information warfare, in addition to serving as one of our nation’s most senior counterintelligence officials.”
A former Georgetown University professor, Yurechko was the first information operations officer at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), and set up the DIA’s first Information Operations directorate. He also established the DIA’s Human Factors Analysis Center.
The Pentagon defines human factors analysis as “The psychological, cultural, behavioral, and other human attributes that influence decision-making, the flow of information, and the interpretation of information by individuals and groups at any level in any state or organization.”
Yurechko will teach the Strategic Information Warfare course that Dr. J. Michael Waller has taught for the past five years. “John Yurechko brings a high-level practical currency to the course, which we have redesigned for the information operations professional,” Waller said.
Waller will continue to lecture in the course, but will devote his attention to expanding IWP’s curriculum on foreign propaganda, public diplomacy, political warfare and counterpropaganda. He will teach his Public Diplomacy and Political Warfare course this semester on Thursdays.