Pop Up Course: Introduction to Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrency Part 1

Dr. Ricky Li
Altonomy Inc.
https://rensselaer.webex.com/rensselaer/j.php?MTID=md52a2300493d8fa94b4b82cf7e03869b
Wed, July 13, 2022 at 1:00 PM

Recording link: https://rensselaer.webex.com/recordingservice/sites/rensselaer/recording/87c084eae4fb103aab6300505681f78a/playback

Slides link: https://rpi.box.com/s/cew9cxr4usheaa7py4g81ylhe3u09wg2

Puzzle challenge Python files: merkle.py, challenges.py

This two-part pop-up course will introduce students (and faculty and staff too!) to the basics of cryptocurrency using the blockchain technology.  The course will introduce the blockchain technology, the basics of cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, and tools such as smart contract, Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), Solidity, and Web3.  A Python script will be provided to interact with smart contracts.  All students can run this web3 script to create a metamask wallet, go to faucet and get a test ether, and then interact with this voting smart contract.

Part 1:

  • Double Spending and Byzantine General Problem
  • Bitcoin Basics
  • How Bitcoin maintains Consensus? Proof-of-Work, Merkle Tree basics
  • Ethereum basics, General Purpose Blockchain, Turing Completeness
Ricky Li

Ricky Li is the Co-Founder of Altonomy, a cryptocurrency trading, advisory and asset management firm. Now based in New York, he is a veteran trader in the emerging cryptocurrency market and traditional commodities markets.  Dr. Li has experience in commodities quantitative trading, and research and advisory in investment banks, energy firms and management consulting firms, including CME Group, where he managed the energy derivative product and published various articles and insights about market fundamentals. Prior to Altonomy, Li held a senior trading position at a top Asian crypto hedge fund. Li holds a CFA Charter and Ph.D. in Computer Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.