In-Person Meeting, with Two talks:
6:30-6:50 PM: Blockchain Landscape and Overview, Ramesh Ramadoss, PhD
6:50-7:10 PM: Demystifying, Defining, and Developing the Metaverse, Yu Yuan, PhD
7:20-7:30 PM: Q&A / Networking

Meeting Date: Thursday, September 1, 2022
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM (in person)
Location: ActionSpot, 453 W San Carlos St, San Jose
Cost: none
Reservations: at EventBrite

Talk Summaries:
Blockchain – Introduction and Overview
Abstract: This talk will provide an introduction to blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). In 2009, Bitcoin was launched as a peer-to-peer electronic cash. In 2015, programmable blockchain/DLT infrastructure projects such as Ethereum, Hyperledger, and R3 Corda were launched. Over the last decade, blockchain/DLT field has evolved to encompass a collection of novel distributed computer network architectures implemented using various consensus protocols, data structures, and economic incentive models. This talk will provide an overview of blockchain applications in startups, enterprises, and government services. Further, this talk will highlight various novel emerging use cases such as Decentralized Finance (DeFi), Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs), Play-to-Earn (P2E) games, and metaverse.
Bio: Ramesh Ramadoss is an entrepreneur, author, researcher, and international speaker. He is a co-chair of the IEEE Blockchain Initiative. He also serves as a Vice-President of the IEEE Standards Association. He also serves on the Expert Panel of the European Union Blockchain Observatory and Forum (EUBOF). He received his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder, USA. He has conducted projects for DARPA, NASA, US Army, US Air Force, Sandia National Labs, and Motorola Labs. He is the author or co-author of 1 book, 3 book chapters and 55 research papers. Since 2018, he has been actively involved in the blockchain field and has delivered talks at over 100 international conferences in 40 countries.

Demystifying, Defining, and Developing the Metaverse
Abstract: Metaverse has become a widely discussed and quoted term capturing more and more attention. There are different metaverses in the eyes of different people, but it is generally agreed that metaverse will have a profound impact on our daily work, play, and life, across all industries and sectors, reshaping the economy and society for all humankind. This talk will define metaverse in an inclusive way taking into account the origin and the latest developments, and provide an overview of the metaverse technology landscape and outlook.
Bio: Dr. Yu Yuan, IEEE Board Director-Elect and IEEE Standards Association President-Elect, is a visionary researcher, inventor, practitioner, and entrepreneur in the areas of Consumer Technology, Multimedia/VR/AR, Connected/Automated Vehicles, IoT, and Digital Transformation. He co-founded VerseMaker, a metaverse enabling platform facilitating global collaboration and innovation on the metaverse by information exchange, expert network, and investment. He founded 0xSenses Corporation, a multinational technology company specializing in Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Human Augmentation. Prior to this he worked for IBM Research as a research scientist and was a key contributor to IBM’s Cell Broadband Engine, Smarter Planet, and IoT initiative. He has been a passionate volunteer in various leadership positions at IEEE and other professional organizations. He is also serving as Chair of IEEE Consumer Technology Society Emerging Technology Standards Committee (CTS/ETSC), Vice Chair of IEEE Photonics Society Standards Committee (PHO/SC), Secretary of IEEE Consumer Technology Society Blockchain Standards Committee (CTS/BSC), Chair of IEEE VR/AR Advisory Board, Member-at-Large of IEEE Consumer Technology Society Board of Governors, Corresponding Member of IEEE Technical Activities Board Committee on Standards, and Member of IEEE Strategy and Alignment Committee. He has a Ph.D., an M.S., and a B.S. in Computer Science from Tsinghua University.