For the past few months, just like everyone else, I've been bombarded by the media buzz surrounding cryptocurrency. I can't go a day without reading a word like "Ethereum" or seeing an abbreviation like "NFT" when I'm scrolling through LinkedIn or Twitter. Now, because of this honors experience, I know exactly what these news articles are discussing.

​

Throughout the course of this cryptocurrency and blockchain class, I gained competency in the fundamentals of cryptocurrency. Through engaging discussions with my motivated classmates, we learned about what makes a currency a currency, how the ledger systems of most cryptocurrencies work, and the benefits and pitfalls of using cryptocurrency. I also learned about alternative uses for blockchain and how the unchangeable record lends itself to smart contracts.

​

Throughout the course, we heard from guest speakers and experts, including a venture capital owner who fell victim to a ransomware attack and an economist in South America working to circulate a regional currency. We also completed worked through two case studies involving real world applications of the material we were studying. In one case, we studied the use of Berkshares, a regional currency in the Northeastern United States. We studied the use of blockchain technology for a coffee company in another.

​

Our experience culminated in a group application project. My group decided to pitch a Bitcoin mining pool with other universities. Below is my group's final presentation.