Jonathan Leuenberger

Mobile Technologies and Refugee Experiences at the US–Mexico Border
Advisor: Dr. Shiva Darian
This research examines how refugees experience and adapt to mobile technologies while seeking asylum, focusing on access, surveillance, digital divides, and the affordances and limitations of phone use. It explores the role of online communities and systems of control to understand how tech shapes migration experiences.

Phishing Scams on TikTok and Douyin
Advisor: Dr. Bill Hamilton
This project studies phishing tactics in short-form video platforms to identify social engineering patterns and platform-specific vulnerabilities affecting user security on both TikTok and Douyin.

• Researching the Interconnectedness of a Cartel Municipality Network: I utilized the public dataset, Mexico Drug Traffic Activities, I utilized R network statistics on this one-mode undirected weighted graph. Utilizing betweenness and eigenvector centrality, I indicated which cartels exhibit the most control through the number of connections. Thereby proposing to law enforcement entities which cartels would have the largest impact if they were to be removed.

I'm a Computer Science and Anthropology double major at New Mexico State University interested in the intersection of technology, culture, and migration. My research explores how refugees engage with mobile technologies and how social platforms shape digital threats and identities. I'm passionate about global citizenship, ethical technology design, and applying interdisciplinary approaches to real-world problems. When i'm not working on my research I am a tri-athlete and an avid reader.