Summer Institute 2020

EVENT UPDATE: Due to COVID-19 concerns, we have had to make significant changes to this year's Blockchain@UBC Summer Institute. The main changes are as follows:

Elements of the training workshops and the Blockathon for Social Good will be facilitated ONLINE under the course names: "LIBR 559U: Topics in Computer-Based Information Systems" and "ARST575N: Topics in the Management of Records". The course will run from May 11-22. More information will follow on the course syllabus as we adapt the program for online delivery.
UBC students can enrol in the relevant version of the course via the Student Service Centre links: LIBR559U registration and ARST575N registration
The course will be available to UBC graduate and upper-level undergraduate students only. If you are not a student of the School of Information you will need to obtain permission to take this course as an out of program course. Please consult your home program’s student advisor on how to go about this.
Unfortunately, we are no longer able to accommodate participants from outside UBC. Those from outside of UBC that had registered for the Summer Institute will receive a full refund.
The 2020 Annual Conference (previously scheduled for May 26) is cancelled, as unfortunately this is not well suited to online delivery. We are exploring ways to offer some of the content that would have been offered at the Annual Conference as one or more separate offerings over the coming months. Stay tuned!

We thank you for your ongoing support during this transition, and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience that these changes cause. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions, and we hope that you and your loved ones stay fit and healthy during this challenging time.

- The Blockchain@UBC Team

May 11th to May 22nd, 2020

Blockchain@UBC is pleased to offer our fourth annual Blockchain@UBC Summer Institute, an intensive program designed to provide undergraduates and graduates from any discipline with advanced and specialized training in blockchain and distributed ledger technologies (DLTs). Due to the current COVID-19 situation, the 2020 Blockchain@UBC Summer Institute will be held online, and participation is limited to UBC students. The objectives of the Summer Institute for our participants are to:

Gain a deep understanding of blockchain and distributed ledger technologies (DLT) from academic and industry experts.
Critically reflect the impact of blockchain on society and apply DLT to real world problems.
Engage with leading industry players and build a professional network in the blockchain community.

The two-week program combines case-based and protocol-focused training workshops with a two-day “Blockathon for Social Good". Workshops are designed and delivered in collaboration with our industry and academic partners, and cover a wide range of topics. In the lead up to the Summer Institute, workshop participants will be provided access to a detailed Syllabus, which provides details about the topics, readings and/or software to be referenced and used in each workshop.

Testimonals

From 2019's Participants:

"[Blockchain@UBC] brought in some of the best speakers, had a good range of difficulty and variety in topics, and was able to make a complex topic intuitive to understand. I started with limited knowledge about blockchain and finished with new-founded inspiration and curiosity. From the classroom sessions, to the hackathon, to the conference, I had an amazing experience and would highly recommend this course to anyone in the future." - Clara Chu (Consulting Analyst at Accenture)

"Attending the third edition of the Blockchain Summer Institute was an amazing experience! In addition to the great atmosphere provided by teachers Victoria Lemieux and Chris Rowell and colleague Danielle Batista, the content was presented in a very didactic way with current and relevant Blockchain themes. It was really a great experience!" - Tomas Roberto Cotta Orlandi (Doctoral Student, Faculdade de Ciência da Informação, UnB)

From Previous Years:

"Over the course of the program, we learned about everything from the difference between private/public blockchains, how to code smart contracts with Ethereum and the mechanics of Hyperledger. We even learned how to create our own cryptocurrency... I found myself suddenly viewed as an ‘expert’ on blockchain — literally everyone wanted to know more about it, the hype was real. One Monday morning I was greeted by an email asking me to organize a presentation at SAP during their Cyber Security Month and gladly agreed. Soon enough, guys in the marketing team were messaging over Skype asking how they should best explain the technology to clients." - Ali Serag (Co-Founder of Fostrum).

Read more from his blog at Blockchain for the Homeless to Techstars Startup

"Before joining the Blockchain@UBC Summer Institute in 2017, I had only low-level technical skills and a cursory understanding of how blockchains worked. Through the program, I was welcomed wholeheartedly into the BC blockchain community, gained a substantial understanding of blockchain technology, and connected with other students from a diverse range of backgrounds that further deepened my understanding of the field.
Through the contacts I made at the Blockchain@UBC Summer Institute, I have had the opportunity to contribute to two research projects on smart contracts and digital asset regulation, engage with legal experts across the world on the regulation of cryptocurrencies. With the knowledge I have gained from these experiences, I have also co-authored a chapter of a legal textbook on aspects of blockchain law." - Stephen Pederson (Peter A. Allard School of Law Student)