1. What is your career history and how has it led to your current role?

I have always loved working in higher education, and I especially enjoy projects that allow me to help grow Southwest Virginia. I have always been drawn to new technologies; however, I am not a computer scientist, far from it. My Ph.D. is in public policy; I study congressional behavior and I used to work on Capitol Hill. My previous role relates to blockchain in the way that I am learning about the technology, regulation, and policy areas blockchain touches on. I also worked on the Virginia Tech Beyond Boundaries initiative, so I'm used to thinking about the future of education and the world, which blockchain is very related to. How will cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and smart contracts affect the next ten years? I think it will be an incredible area for growth.

2. For those who may not be familiar, what is blockchain technology and how can businesses and individuals use it?

At its core, blockchain is a data structure that uses distributed ledger technology to facilitate digital interactions. A lot of the news about blockchain is focused on cryptocurrency, but you are definitely seeing organizations use it to improve supply-chain efficiency, increase transparency and accountability, automate contracts, and create data commons.

3. What was the inspiration behind the Blockchain Ecosystem Catalyst Project?

In our area, we have a lot of thought leaders in blockchain. The Corporate Research Center and some of the graduates from the Virginia Tech Department of Computer Science, such as Dan Larimer, the former-Chief Technology Officer at Block.one, have been successful in the blockchain space. The exciting thing the grant is trying to do, from the GO Virginia side, is link blockchain technologies to new and existing Region 2 companies. There is tremendous potential when you’re seeing companies like Torque and Block.one here in the area. Technology companies also have a strong presence in the CRC. How can we help them think about how to use blockchain and how can we provide them with the correct ingredients to create the next Block.one?

4. What have you enjoyed most about being involved in the GO Virginia program and working on the Blockchain Ecosystem Catalyst project?

It requires a decent amount of knowledge to understand how blockchain works. Helping people get the skills they need in order to have conversations about the subject is a hurdle, but I think it's one our grant is doing a good job of overcoming. It is also interesting to think about how this technology makes sense for Region 2. There's a quality of life associated with living in Region 2 that a lot of people are viewing as more attractive in the COVID-19 era. Trying to find ways to capitalize on some of the assets of Region 2 is not something we do every single day.

5. Could you talk about the Blocksburg events and what those were like?

The first Blocksburg event was a two-day in-person conference at the Inn at Virginia Tech. Block.one’s CEO, Brendan Blumer and CTO, Dan Larimer, were both part of the conference. At the conference, there were opportunities to interact with various people, some who were coming from cybersecurity and others who were applying blockchain technology to change the way they do manufacturing processes. It was a catch-all opportunity to see what blockchain can be. Our most recent conference was online and finished in mid-April. Some of the speaking topics were how the federal government applies blockchain, what the future of this technology looks like, and how centralized manufacturing utilizes blockchain. We're trying to make sure we keep the iron hot and give people opportunities to think about blockchain and its current applications. In the 2021- 22 academic year, we’re excited to get back in person to host another conference and have more engaging conversations about blockchain.

6. What are some of the businesses you have worked with in the region and how have they been affected by the project?

We have worked with Tim Abbott, the Manager of Digital Innovation at Moog Inc., to think about ways their company can use blockchain and how other companies might be able to use it as well. We've also done consultations with companies in the Region 2 footprint, including Virginia Tech. Another Virginia company we’ve spoken with is an HR company called ProTask. Our connection to ProTask came through their CEO, Donna Gibb, who is a Virginia Tech graduate. ProTask wants to use blockchain to check a person’s credentials and complete criminal background checks more quickly. We’re excited to engage with them to consider the ways that we can help existing businesses use blockchain in productive ways. ArchiveCore, a company in Roanoke, wants to do something similar, except for doctors. Doctors typically have to go through a credentialing process that can take 6-8 weeks. In the COVID-19 era, the length of this process had a major consequence because if doctors needed an 8-week credentialing process, they couldn't go to hot spots. ArchiveCore is putting its finger on an interesting application of blockchain, and you might end up seeing a national model for proving credentials and performing criminal background checks.

7. You are currently working on producing a blockchain certificate program. What can people who want to get their blockchain certificate expect from this program?

We’re working with Continuing and Professional Education and several adjunct professors from the blockchain industry to produce a blockchain certificate that will be offered through the Department of Computer Science. The blockchain certificate will specifically focus on blockchain for business. Through videos, direct engagement with the professors, and assignments, people will learn about the history and foundations of blockchain and how it can be used. A distinctive element of our certificate program is people will also have opportunities to work with adjuncts to talk about how blockchain works in the field and how it can affect their specific business. Another distinctive aspect of the certificate program is that it will examine the ethical dimensions of blockchain technology, which is a hot topic and an important debate for the field.

8. What does the future of the Blockchain Ecosystem Catalyst look like?

Virginia Tech had an entrepreneur challenge in Spring of 2019 that allowed students to develop a blockchain app. We're going to do another one of the entrepreneur challenges in the fall. However, instead of having students design an app that may or may not reach the marketplace, we're working with some companies that will give students a problem to work on. If the students solve what the company's asking of them, their solution could be adopted into the company’s operations or code, which is a cool opportunity for students. We also have a webinar series called Blockchain that Serves. In this series, you learn from people who are doing blockchain-related activities in the spirit of Ut Prosim. For example, one of the companies involved in the series is allowing people to donate cryptocurrency to non-profit organizations, which is an interesting way to think about cryptocurrency. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a speculative asset and can be an opportunity for nonprofits to raise money.

9. If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be?

I would love to live in Italy. I'm a huge soccer fan; throw in the pizza, pasta, and wine, I’m sold.

10. What activities/hobbies do you like to do when you’re not working?

I love playing guitar. But I'm also outside with my kids all the time, either playing golf or going to the pool. I'm enjoying the fact that Southwest Virginia gives you a great opportunity to get outside. The outdoor opportunities in Southwest Virginia are truly incredible.