Edward Mienie, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Strategic Studies Program & Partnerships and Professor of Strategic & Security Studies
Office locationHansford Hall, 314,
Dahlonega
Area(s) of Expertise: Strategic & Security Studies; State Fragility; Why Nations Fail
Overview
Mienie has more than 20 years of experience working in international relations and business, media relations, and coalition building. He earned a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of South Africa and received his doctorate in international conflict management while teaching and leading the academic exchange program with South Africa at Kennesaw State University.
Language Skills
- English (fluent)
- Afrikaans (fluent)
- German (fluent)
- Dutch (functional)
- Flemish (functional)
Courses Taught
- Comparative Military Systems
- Introduction to Intelligence
- Intelligence Cycle and Collection
- US Intelligence Community
- Intelligence and Counterterrorism
- Fundamentals of Intelligence Analysis
- Politics of Africa
Education
- Ph.D., International Conflict Management, Kennesaw State University, 2014
- B.A., Law, University of South Africa, 1984
Research/Special Interests
Publications
Peer-Reviewed Books
- Mienie, E. L. (Ed.) (2023). United States Higher Education and National Security. University of North Georgia Press. ISBN 9-781959203032.
- Mienie, E. L. (Ed.) (2022). Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic on National Security. University of North Georgia Press. ISBN 978-1-940771-95-3.
- Mienie, E.L., Hamilton, S.R. (Eds.) (2021). Soldier-Leaders in the Age of AI: The Future of Pre-Commissioning Education. University of North Georgia Press. ISBN 978-1-940771-86-1
- Mienie, E.L. (2020). Security, Governance, and State Fragility in South Africa. Roman & Littlefield. Lanham, MD.
- Mienie, E.L., Hamilton, S.R. (Eds.) (2019). Private Military Security Companies’ Influence on International Security and Foreign Policy. University of North Georgia Press. ISBN 978-1-940771687
Peer-Reviewed Book Chapters
- Payne, B.R., Mienie, E.L. (2023). RASCALS vs Ransomware: A Counter-Intelligence Framework for Cybersecurity Education. Journal of Security, Intelligence, and Resilience Education, Volume 16, No. 8.
- Mienie, E.L., Payne, B.R, and Regeski, B.T. (2019). Hybrid Conflict and the Impact of Private Contractors on National Security. In Private Military Security Companies’ Influence on International Security and Foreign Policy. University of North Georgia Press. 103-121. ISBN 978-1940771687.
- Mienie, E.L. (2019). South Africa’s Paradox. In Private Military Security Companies’ Influence on International Security and Foreign Policy. University of North Georgia Press. 177-196.
- Payne, B.R, Parker, V.C., and Mienie, E.L. (2018). Building a Civil-Military Framework for Cyber Deterrence. In Robinson, Payne, Antonia (Eds.) Civil-Military Cooperation and International Collaboration in Cyber Operations. Monograph, University of North Georgia Press. ISBN 978-1940771519.
- Mienie, E.L. (2012). Lessons from South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) for Managing Africa’s Conflicts. In O. A. Adesina et al. (Eds). Managing Conflicts in Africa's Democratic Transitions. Lexington Books. Lanham, MD.
Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications
- Payne, B.R., Mienie, E.L., and Anetor, O.J. (2023) RASCLS vs. Ransomware: A Counterintelligence Approach to Cybersecurity Education. In United States Higher Education and National Security. University of North Georgia Press. ISBN 9-781959203032.
- Payne, B.R., Abegaz, T.T., Mienie, E.L., Hamilton, S., Robertson, C., Orr, D., Reinking, M., Krone, M.B. (research underway). FBI Georgia Cyber Threat Survey, in collaboration with FBI Atlanta Computer Intrusion Squad (CY-1), statewide cyber threat survey, 2020.
- Mienie, E.L., Payne, B.R. (2019). The Impact of Cyber-Physical Warfare on Global Human Security. International Journal of Cyber Warfare and Terrorism (IJCWT) 9 (3). pp. 36-50. ISSN: 1947-3435. [20% acceptance rate]
- Pfaff, C.A., Mienie, E. L. (2019). Five Myths Associated with Employing Private Military Companies. U.S. Army War College Press, Strategic Studies Institute. Carlisle Barracks, PA.
- Marktanner, M., Mienie, E.L., & Noiset, L. (2015). From armed conflict to disaster vulnerability. Disaster Prevention and Management, 24(1), 53-69.
Presentations with Published Proceedings
- Payne, B.R., Mienie, E.L. and Anetor, O.J. (2022). From Ransomware to RASCLS (R2R): A Counter-Intelligence Approach to Cybersecurity Education. International Association for Intelligence Education (IAFIE) Annual Conference, Treviso, Italy, June 20-22, 2022.
- Payne, B.R. & Mienie, E.L. (2021). Multiple-Extortion Ransomware: The Case for Active Cyber Threat Intelligence. 20th European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security (ECCWS), June 2021, Chester, UK.
- Mienie, E.L., Payne, B.R, and Regeski, B.T. (2018). Hybrid Conflict and the Impact of Private Contractors on National Security. Civil Military Symposium on Leadership in a Complex World. November 13-15, 2018.
- Payne, B., Parker, V., Mienie, E. (2017). Siri Gets a Subpoena: Unintended Social, Ethical and Legal Consequences of the Internet of Things. Proceedings of the 2017 National Cyber Summit Research Track, p. 95-100. Huntsville, AL.
Conference Presentations
- Payne, B.R., Mienie, E.L. and Anetor, O.J. (2022). From Ransomware to RASCLS (R2): A Counter-Intelligence Approach to Cybersecurity Education. International Association for Intelligence Education (IAFIE) Annual Conference, June 20-22, 2022
- Mienie, E.L. & Payne, B.R. (2021). Multiple-Extortion Ransomware: The Case for Active Cyber Threat Intelligence. In Proceedings of 20th European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security (ECCWS). Kent, UK. June 24, 2021.
- Mienie, E.L. (2019). The Role of Cyber in National and Global Human Security. Keynote address. In Proceedings of 14th International Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security (ICCWS). Stellenbosch, South Africa. February 27-March 1, 2019.
- Mienie, E.L. (2018). South Africa’s Paradox: A Case Study of Latent State Fragility. Invited Speaker. Symposium on Leadership in a Complex World: Private Military Security Companies' Influence on International Security and Foreign Policy. University of North Georgia. November 14-15, 2018.
Media Appearances
- Steyn, C. (2023). “SA a failing state on the cusp, stirring analysis from Dr Edward Mienie.” Interview conducted and published on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibdwyB1AfPA. May 13, 2023.
- Eller, A. (2023). “Retired spies and students talk intelligence.” Interview conducted and published at AccessWDUN radio at high-school-students-to-hear-from-former-fbi-kgb-agents-at-ung-summer-academy. April 7, 2023.
- Kerns, S. (2023). “Why UNG is offering high schoolers the chance to hear from former federal agents.” Forsyth County News. March 26, 2023.
- Hunter, L. (2021). “How life has changed since 9/11.” Interview conducted and published at AccessWDUN radio at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W8p8-ePicexoPYOCz1caDr-T94_c4W5T/view. September 8, 2021.
- Underwood, K (2021). Quoted in “High Schoolers in Georgia to Benefit from New Intel Coursework.” SIGNAL Magazine. August 1, 2021.
- Association of Former Intelligence Officers Now (2021). “Edward Mienie PhD on University & High School Programs on Intelligence Education and IC Careers.” Interview conducted and published on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLRu_fGyU8Q&t=1672s. June 22, 2021
- Podo, K (2020). Quoted in “This UNG professor is creating a course that will introduce high schoolers to US intelligence and national security.” Gainesville Times. December 2, 2020.
- Smith, C. (2019). Quoted in “Prepare for all-out cyber war as next phase of online threats looms, warns expert.” Fin24.com. May 28, 2019.
Work Experience
- Executive Director Strategic & Security Studies Program & External Relations, UNG, 2017
- Associate Vice President Executive Affairs, UNG, 2015-17
- Executive Advisor, Applied Software Technology, 2002-2015
- SAP Software Consultant, 1999-2010
- Diplomat, South Africa, 1987-1998
- Deputy-Ambassador to Switzerland, 1994-1998
- Political Advisor, Minister of Foreign Affairs, South Africa, 1992-1994
- Political Advisor to Ambassador and US Government/Congressional Liaison, Washington, D.C., 1989-1992
- Active Military Conscript (Angolan War), 1980s