This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to spend nine weeks in the United Kingdom as a Visiting Scholar at Oxford’s Department of Sociology. My research centered on how law enforcement agencies collaborate in investigating financial cybercrime, particularly when cryptocurrency is involved. Cybercrime is inherently borderless, and yet legal and investigative frameworks are often tied to national jurisdictions. I wanted to understand where cooperation across agencies is strong, where it falters, and what this means for the future of international security.
To explore this, I developed a social network analysis using U.S. Department of Justice indictments from 2020 to 2025. I traced which national and international agencies appeared in these cases, what roles they played, and how often they worked together. I also examined how cryptocurrencies were used as anonymizing tools by offenders. One of my main findings was striking: roughly one-third of all U.S. financial cybercrime indictments in this period involved Bitcoin, and nearly three-quarters involved cryptocurrency more broadly. This confirmed the structural role of digital currencies in financial cybercrime and underscored the challenges they pose for law enforcement across borders.
This project built on my earlier work as a research assistant at the Cornell Tech Policy Institute, where I studied how bitcoin operates both as a mechanism for financial freedom and as a tool for illicit activity. At Oxford, I was able to take those insights and situate them within the broader context of international cooperation. Rather than just asking what criminals are doing, I asked how governments are responding, and whether those responses are aligned across borders.
Beyond the technical side of the project, this summer also connected me to a global community of practitioners and scholars. I joined INTERPOL’s Academic Cyber Offender Prevention Network and attended the Fifth InterCOP Conference at INTERPOL Headquarters in Lyon. Engaging with law enforcement leaders and researchers from around the world broadened my perspective on the practical challenges of cybercrime prevention. I was especially struck by how differently countries define and prioritize threats, which makes cooperation both more difficult and more necessary.
I also drew on my earlier Laidlaw project, where I worked with an FBI Special Agent to study strategies for deterring youth involvement in cybercrime. That project showed me the importance of early intervention and prevention, while my Oxford research demonstrated how critical global cooperation is for investigations. Taken together, these experiences reminded me that cybercrime requires both micro-level prevention and macro-level international coordination.
Reflecting on the summer, I can identify several areas of growth and contribution. My project added to Oxford’s Department of Sociology by advancing its research into digital governance and transnational cooperation. The social network analysis I built provides a new lens for studying how law enforcement collaborates across jurisdictions, and I hope future scholars can build on this framework.
At Oxford, I was struck by how open and interdisciplinary the research environment was. Faculty encouraged me not only to think carefully about my data but also to connect it to broader theories of international relations, law, and political economy. Attending InterCOP in Lyon further reinforced the importance of interdisciplinary exchange. Law enforcement officers, academics, and policymakers all brought different perspectives, and I learned that the most effective solutions emerge when these groups work together.
On a personal level, I discovered how much I enjoy translating technical findings into policy-relevant insights. While I have always been interested in technology, this summer showed me that I thrive at the intersection of law, policy, and computer science. I also learned that I am most motivated when my work bridges the gap between academic research and real-world application.
This experience also clarified my academic and career trajectory. It strengthened my goal of pursuing a career that integrates law and technology. As I continue my studies, I want to keep examining how cryptocurrency shapes patterns of cybercrime and how international institutions can better cooperate to address these threats. Ultimately, I see myself contributing to efforts that strengthen global security and digital trust, whether through research, policy, or practice.
Most of all, this summer helped me refine my vision of leadership. For me, leadership means building bridges across disciplines, across borders, and across institutions. Global challenges like cybercrime cannot be solved by any one country or agency. They demand collaboration, humility, and a willingness to learn from others. My time at Oxford and with INTERPOL showed me that global change leadership requires both technical expertise and the ability to bring diverse voices to the table.
As I look ahead, I am excited to continue developing both of these dimensions. My Laidlaw Leadership-in-Action experience affirmed that I want my career to be about creating those connections: between research and practice, between technology and law, and between nations working to build a safer digital world.