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Ethereum Co-Founder Vitalik Buterin Visits Waterloo | Waterloo News
On Saturday, July 6, about two hundred students gathered for an “ask me anything” event with Vitalik Buterin, co-creator of the Ethereum blockchain and alumnus of the University of Waterloo.
Buterin studied computer science at Waterloo and worked as a research assistant for cryptographer and computer science professor Ian Goldberg. In 2013, he wrote a white paper proposing Ethereum. In 2014, Buterin was awarded a $100,000 grant from the Thiel Fellowship and later left Waterloo to work full-time on Ethereum. Today, Ethereum is second only to Bitcoin in market value.
In his keynote, Buterin discussed the mathematics behind blockchain, areas of innovation, and the future of cryptocurrency. “Will cryptocurrency become the Esperanto of finance, the Linux of finance, or the Internet of finance?” he asked rhetorically. “I think it depends: there are many countries, especially in developing countries, where there is a lot of demand for cryptocurrency because the traditional banking system is not effective.”
Buterin also distinguished between early-stage technologies (such as cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, and space travel) and late-stage technologies (such as pharmaceuticals), arguing that early-stage technologies are a prime space for ambitious thinking, innovation, and the use of raw math, engineering, and science. “There’s a real focus right now on building amazing things,” he said.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have Vitalik in town to talk about Ethereum and its future roadmap,” said Monica Tsang, a master’s student in systems design engineering. “He encouraged us to work on the optimistic and idealistic side of blockchain development instead of chasing easy money. Being a jack of all trades will help us learn new things quickly in this rapidly evolving blockchain space!”
Buterin stressed the importance of shared values in tech ventures, both for practical and ethical reasons. “Make sure you and your cofounders are aligned on values, both in terms of what you want to achieve in the world and what you want to achieve with the project,” he said. “Consider what kind of relationship you want to have with each other, with your investors, with your users, and with your community.”
Buterin’s talk was the finale of a four-day workshop series, “Solidity 101 Bootcamp,” sponsored by The University of Ethereum, VentureMiner and the Faculty of Mathematics. The bootcamp was billed as a comprehensive educational program designed to empower the next generation of blockchain developers.
“It was truly exciting to host Vitalik Buterin,” said Stephanie Whitney, Director of Research & Innovation Partnerships at the Math Innovation Office. “The audience was blown away by how he thoughtfully laid out avenues for contributing to the blockchain ecosystem. We can’t thank him and the Ethereum Foundation enough for this amazing opportunity.”
You can learn more about Ethereum at Ethereum Foundation Website. You can learn more about Math Innovation’s Entrepreneurship and Impact series, including future visitors, at Mathematical Innovation Website.