Dr. Ronald Raab
IAFIE Intelligence Education Interview Series - Dr. Ronald Raab
Interviewer: IAFIE Volunteer
Table of Contents:
Question 1). Professor Raab, let’s start from the basics. How would you like to present yourself to the International Association for Intelligence Education (IAFIE)?
Question 2). Can you share with our readers what inspired you to pursue the field of intelligence? (including chemistry and biology fields).
Question 3). You have extensive expertise in biochemistry, microbiology, and organic chemistry. Can you share with our readers/students what your academic background has played in your professional roles?
Question 4). Dr. Raab, you have over 25 years of expertise in biotechnology. Can you share with our readers what role biotechnology plays in intelligence studies, homeland security, and national security?
Question 5). Dr. Raab, you also serve as a regional HazMat responder, volunteer firefighter, and educator to various fire departments in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Can you share with our students/readers what these roles entail?
Question 6). How do you see the future of intelligence and analysis, and how should educators orient themselves? (For example: CW-BIOW angle).
Question 7). What is the work you believe is most representative of your professional life, and what can future analysts, researchers, and intelligence practitioners learn from it?
Question 8). As a chemical and biological weapon expert, what is the most valuable lesson you have learned from your research and career path?
Question 9). What advice or suggestions would you give our readers/students interested in the intelligence field? For example, where do you start becoming an analyst? Or STEM-focused.
Question 10). Lastly, can you share with us five keywords that represent you?
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Interview Introduction: With over twenty years of expertise in the field, an outstanding background in biotechnology and expert on chemical and biological weapons, In this compelling interview, Dr. Ronald Raab of James Madison University discusses his professional and academic path providing insight into his role as an educator, and subject matter expertise of biological WMDs. Dr. Raab, we thank you once again for participating in the Intelligence Education Interview Series and hope that your research impact in the field will continue to inspire our members in this vital and evolving area of intelligence studies.
Question 1). Professor Raab, let’s start from the basics. How would you like to present yourself to the International Association for Intelligence Education (IAFIE)?
My role in Intelligence Analysis (IA) education is providing the needed basic scientific knowledge for future analysts to better understand Chem, Bio, Rad, Home-Made Explosives (HME), Pharmaceutical-Based Agents (PBA). This includes the synthesis, production, and dispersal of these agents. Understanding the medical signs and symptoms of these various agents and what kind of treatments can be provided.
Another important aspect of IA education is the role the Intelligence Community (IC) plays in the Incident Command System (ICS) that is used in the USA for all types of disasters, natural, accidental, or intentional. I believe the IA student should understand the varied and complex role the Department of Homeland Security plays and the importance of the IA role in many different situations.
When James Madison University (JMU) started the IA program, there was a void in the understanding and knowledge at the science and medical levels of the Chem, Bio, Rad, HME, and PBAs from both military and civilian aspects. I saw that an analyst with a background in these fields could be a more valuable asset in the field and with the Intelligence Community. One such success is a 2006 JMU graduate in a science field now working with the DIA on the potential use of industrial chemicals in chemical weapons manufacturing. Many of the courses I teach allow the students to qualify for various FEMA certifications. These certifications will help the student pursue a job after graduation.
I started working with the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) on vaccine development for Anthrax and Plague in 2002. Because of the Anthrax deaths in 2001, also known as Amerithrax, a biological terrorist attack in the U.S., resulting in 5 deaths, and causing widespread fear and panic for many years after. This led to a need for education at the 1st response levels, as fire and police departments were responding to large numbers of possible anthrax events. I began teaching various fire, police, and rescue squads about WMDs. I was asked by the Harrisonburg City and Rockingham County Fire Departments to be their Hazmat Officer. This led me to become a certified firefighter and hazmat responder in Virginia. From there, I became a qualified instructor for FEMA and the Emergency Management Institute to teach on the various WMDS. In addition, I also qualified as an instructor for ICS.
In the future, the role will be more important than ever, due to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the advances in biotechnology such as CISPer/CAS 9, and synthetic biology. The technology now exists that could allow one to design and create chimeras of some really bad biological agents. Imagine a virus that is a combination of COVID-19 and Ebola? We need IA people who are well-versed in the different sciences, including bioengineering, so they can recognize who and where these types of technologies are being used.
The most important role I serve is that of instructor. If my teaching can help prevent, and/or recognize one from being injured or worse, then I have been successful. I am a qualified Level A Hazmat responder and like to practice what I teach by getting into the suit and responding. Trying to stay current with not only the latest in the science and medical aspects of WMDs, but also what is going on in the IC regarding WMDs. I have to, on an annual basis, pass both medical and physical tests to remain qualified as a firefighter and hazmat responder. By working and training with many different agencies, both civilian and military, I understand the current needs and concerns of these various agencies.
I like what the IA program here at JMU is doing. My courses focus on the WMDs, Incident Command, and introduction to Homeland Security, giving our IA students an opportunity to explore these fields and understand the importance of their roles as analysts, which will play a part in important future decisions. It is essential that we, as educators, stay actively involved in the IC world through our collaborations with the various agencies, either at the governmental level or through the private sector. It is critical that we, as educators, practice what we teach.
When I first was getting involved, I really did not understand the IC world. It was very different than the traditional bio-research environment. Years later, I understood how important it is to integrate the knowledge required in the field, whether it is regarding the science of WMDs, Hazmats, or natural disaster incidents, and being able to translate that into the Intelligence Community working with IA analysts to better the response and outcomes for the situation at hand. One of my recent concerns is the possible use of fentanyl or one of its many analogs as a WMD. Knowing the science and medical issues is one thing, but knowing how fentanyl is as deadly as nerve agents such as sarin and VX now puts the scientist into the IC world. We know that fentanyl is produced by the tons and is brought into the US. It will be the role of an IA analyst with a strong science background to provide the necessary information and analysis to responsible agencies for any future actions.
Be prepared for an ever-changing environment. Be open to learning and experiencing life outside of the lab. Think about how your knowledge and experience can be incorporated into this problem and help solve it. Be willing to put yourself into uncomfortable situations. You will be amazed at what you will learn and gain by doing it.
Don’t be afraid to step into or try something new. I was/am a bench scientist who took my knowledge and experience in 2002 and stepped into the world of biological WMDs. Some 20 years later, after many trainings, classes, and real-world responses, I am now referred to as a subject matter expert (SME). From a student to an instructor at FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness, the National Center for Biological Response Training, I also train and instruct for many National Guard Civil Support Teams (WMD response teams) throughout the U.S.
Question 10). Lastly, can you share with us five keywords that represent you?
Adaptable, Resilient, Persistent, Optimistic, and Prepared