Seminar: Graduate Seminar
Blockchain: Unmotivating, Overpowered, Underperforming — and Still Full of Potential
Date:
April,23,2025
Start Time:
11:30 - 12:30
Location:
1061, Meyer Building
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Lecturer:
Michael Mirkin
Research Areas:
| Blockchain networks like Bitcoin and Ethereum underpin billions in value and promise decentralized trust, yet they face critical challenges: their security depends on fragile economic incentives, their energy consumption raises sustainability concerns, and their limited computational capacity constrains scalability.
In this talk, I’ll share our research on all three fronts. First, I’ll explore incentive vulnerabilities in proof‑of‑work that can disrupt participation and threaten system integrity. Then I’ll question the “more security means more power” mantra, showing how shifting costs toward hardware acquisition can achieve the same level of security with far less energy. Finally, I’ll present our new approach to extending on‑chain computation, unlocking fresh possibilities for smarter, more scalable contracts. Ph.D. Under the supervision of Prof. Ittay Eyal.
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