New Class Explores Technical And Economic Foundations Of Bitcoin

A new study course made available at Texas A&M University this semester is “The Bitcoin Protocol” in which pupils learn about the technological and financial basis of the substantially-talked about cryptocurrency.

The very first of its kind at Texas A&M, the class is open up to accounting and personal computer science college students and is becoming taught by Mays Business enterprise Faculty Associate Professor of Accounting and Founder of the Mays Innovation Investigation Centre Dr. Korok Ray.

“Bitcoin is an interdisciplinary task, and I was happy to see the Mays Enterprise Faculty and the Faculty of Engineering undertake an interdisciplinary mentality in approving this course,” Ray explained.

Why Focus On Bitcoin?

Even though there are other blockchain lessons presented at Texas A&M in laptop or computer science and computer system engineering, Ray’s training course is the first to target specially on Bitcoin.

The class will go over all facets of Bitcoin, these kinds of as the underlying technological innovation, the match concept, the macroeconomics, and the application of cryptography.

Ray – whose investigation interests are accounting, video game concept and know-how – stated the course is mostly for undergraduates to give fingers-on experience with Bitcoin. “The college students will learn to code portions of the Bitcoin protocol from scratch, which is in itself a fantastic finding out expertise,” he explained.

Added benefits To Pupils

Discovering about this “emerging economy” will open up chances for students, Ray reported.

“The Bitcoin financial system is booming, specifically in Texas,” he explained. “This course can get ready pupils for the increasing Bitcoin mining sector, substantially of it in Texas. On best of this, Austin is starting to be a hub for Bitcoin developers.”

From an educational standpoint as properly, a lot can be gained, Ray claimed. “First, Bitcoin is a novel way of storing and transferring price that has wide implications for finance and economics,” he explained. “Bitcoin builds on many years of science and is itself a extensive learning device across many disciplines. And Bitcoin is a zero-to-just one, radical innovation that emerged exterior of the common corridors of ability and influence, and is consequently a deeply inspiring story of human achievement.”

Crypto Controversies

Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have the two proponents and doubters, as any sweep of social media or cable news channels will expose. A single thing every person would seem to concur on is the current condition of affairs – a so-referred to as “crypto winter,” indicating the sector is performing badly. The hugely publicized FTX fiasco arguably extra flame to the fire.

“The existing crypto winter will prove the distinction involving a decentralized protocol like Bitcoin and a centralized organization like FTX that is topic to fraud and abuse,” Ray predicts. “I am self-assured that Bitcoin will emerge out of these ashes, but really do not trust me on that – confirm for on your own.”

Cross-discipline Collaboration

Ray claimed college in both Mays and Engineering are to be credited with the development of the Bitcoin course, namely Scott Schaefer of the Office of Laptop Science and Nate Sharp of the Section of Accounting.

“Leadership like this is critical to exposing students to the frontiers of new innovation, which occurs exactly in among current tutorial disciplines,” Ray explained.