Data Science & Digital Sovereignty Researcher at Smoking Mirror LLC
I'm a data science student and researcher focused on the intersection of technology, geopolitics, and digital sovereignty. My work explores how data infrastructures, automation, and algorithmic power shape global relationships.
Through my company, Smoking Mirror LLC, I also engage in applied data and GIS projects, drone mapping, and digital storytelling.
An n8n + Python-powered data pipeline that predicts trending research topics across cybersecurity and digital sovereignty literature.
Geospatial data analysis project using ArcGIS and remote sensing to support wildfire mitigation planning across Oregon.
This research investigates how cyberwarfare and espionage function as tools of neocolonial influence — what scholars now call Digital or Electronic Colonialism.
Drawing on case studies such as China’s Digital Silk Road and the export of surveillance systems to the Global South, I analyze how governments and corporations from the Global North extend power through data extraction and technological dependency.
Read my latest analysis: Cyber Operations as Neocolonial Control (2025)
Reach me for collaboration or speaking engagements:
Email: duncan@smokingmirrorllc.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/duncan-lawrence