Workshop #1
On March 15th, 2018, this first workshop of Blockchain Series. In this workshop, three dedicated blockchain pioneers will walk us through Bitcoin and Ethereum – contextualizing the cryptocurrencies within the larger field of decentralized protocols. Insights into the potential impacts and uses of blockchain technology in engineering & technology will be explored. An overview of Bitcoin and Ethereum projects being built today, and some suggestions on how to engage just might inspire participants to get involved:
- Bitcoin – a decentralized, peer-to-peer money system. Presented by Taylor Singleton-Fookes, with this talk we will learn how math based trust can provide a very strong promise of censorship resistance, irreversibility, and scarcity. We will go through hands on activities using (testnet) Bitcoin wallets and addresses. We will talk about some advanced features like multisig and go through recommendations on how to be confident and safe using Bitcoin. At last we will discuss the current state of the Bitcoin network (busy) and community (contentious, splintered) and discuss some of the ideas and technologies on the horizon of this extremely fast moving space.
- Ethereum – a global public cryptocurrency and programmable general purpose blockchain. This talk, facilitated by Alex Salkeld, will unpack fundamental features of the Ethereum blockchain, smart contracts, benefits of decentralization and design thinking for new business models unlocked by public blockchains and global cryptocurrencies. Lastly, it will provide an overview of the blockchain technology stack and Ethereum ecosystem, projects being built today and where value is created and captured.
- State of Blockchain Technology – focusing in particular on its widespread disruption of existing industries and processes of innovation. During this talk, Chelsea Palmer will contextualize the Bitcoin and Ethereum platforms within the larger field of decentralized protocols, and give insights as to the various ways in which blockchain may impact every single form of engineering and technological practice. She will conclude with an overview of some the IEEE’s existing blockchain initiatives and projects, and ways to get involved with the Vancouver blockchain ecosystem and beyond.
Speakers:
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Taylor Singleton-Fookes is a developer and political thinker born and raised in Calgary. He received a B.S. in Financial Mathematics at the University of Victoria, and when he found out about Bitcoin in 2013, he grew intensely interested in it. After relocating to Vancouver, Taylor worked in the Distributed Ledger Technology industry, learning a significant amount of front end coding as he went. He is currently working as an independent contractor, and in his spare time is one of the main organizers at dctrl community commons. |
| Alex Salked has been involved with the local Vancouver Bitcoin community since 2013, with a large focus on community outreach and education. In January 2014, at 26 months, his daughter was perhaps the youngest person to independently buy Bitcoin from an ATM. He helps run dctrl community commons, including meetups that cover a wide range of topics about blockchain technology and decentralization. He focuses on the intersection between gamification, decentralization, and AR/VR, produces educational media, and gives private consultations on cryptocurrency trading. | |
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Chelsea Palmer is an educator, event organizer, and decentralization proselytizer. She creates community projects and wrangles operations on behalf of Finhaven, a global platform for regulated, tokenized capital pools. Her work focuses on understanding and designing cultural and societal layers to effectively support widespread adoption of disruptive and decentralizing technologies. She raps about technology, critical theory, and cryptocurrency as msGNU. |
Venue:
SFU VenutreLabs
555 West Hastings Street, 11th. Floor
Vancouver, BC
Agenda:
- 6:30 PM – Registration
- 6:45 PM – Opening
- 7:00 PM – Bitcoin by Taylor Singleton-Fookes
- 7:20 PM – Ethereum by Matt Lockyer
- 7:40 PM – State of Blockchain Technology by Chelsea Palmer
- 8:00 PM – Networking
Tickets:
- IEEE Memebers – $0.00 CAD
- General Admission – $10.00 CAD