Introduction to Blockchain
Instructor: Gaurav Sharma, University of Rochester
Level: Introductory
Duration: 2 hours
Course Date/Time: Wednesday 18 January 10:45 - 12:45
Prerequisites: None

Benefits:
This course enables the attendee to:

• Explain how the blockchain construction provides resistance against tampering
• Distinguish between centralized and distributed ledgers and highlight their pros and cons
• Describe the concepts of proof-of-work and proof-of-stake
• Explain the utility and applicability of blockchains in diverse applications
• Cite example applications of blockchains
• Explain how non-fungible tokens are used in digital asset markets

Course Description:
The course aims to introduce attendees to blockchains, which have recently emerged as a revolutionary technology that has the potential to disrupt a range of diverse business processes and applications. Using a concrete application setting, the course illustrates the construction of blockchains as a distributed, secure, and tamper-resistant framework for the management of transaction ledgers. Necessary background in the technologies underlying blockchains, including basic cryptographic concepts, are introduced as required. Current and emerging applications of blockchains are surveyed, including those in media security and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

Intended Audience:
Engineers, scientists, students, and managers interested in understanding how blockchains are constructed and how they can be useful in a variety of business processes. The course includes an overview of necessary background information, including cryptographic tools utilized in the blockchain; prior familiarity with these concepts is not required.

Gaurav Sharma is a professor of electrical and computer engineering and of computer science at the University of Rochester where his research spans signal and image processing, computer vision, color imaging, and bioinformatics. He has extensive experience in media security across diverse application domains. Prior to joining the University of Rochester, he was a Principal Scientist and Project Leader at the Xerox Innovation Group. Additionally, he has consulted for several companies on the development of image processing and computer vision algorithms. He holds 54 issued patents and has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications. He is the editor of the "Digital Color Imaging Handbook" published by CRC Press. He was the Editor-in-Chief for the IEEE Transactions on Image Processing from 2018-2020, and for the IS&T/SPIE Journal of Electronic Imaging from 2011 through 2015. Dr. Sharma is a fellow of IS&T, IEEE, and SPIE.

Discounts given for multiple classes. See Registration Page for details to register.

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