Keynote: Blockchain and the Future of Networking - Dr. Catherine Mulligan, Visiting Research Fellow, Centre for Cryptocurrency Research and Engineering, Imperial College London
Blockchain is often touted as a transformational technology set to redefine how many businesses work today, but will it have any effect on the networking world? This talk covers the role that blockchain will play within the networking industries from two perspectives – industry and research. Firstly, it outlines the work I am leading at UCL called “DataNet” – a project that aims to create a global data infrastructure that does for data what the Internet did for communication. Through developing a unified set of protocols that cover Identity, privacy, security, trust, sharing and permissioned access to data sets, we are creating the “data rails” for the digital economy – unlocking the value of digtalisation for individuals, companies and governments. Secondly, it discusses some nearer term projects that are being done in collaboration with network operators - illustrating the near-term impacts of blockchain that is challenging the established norms of how networks are built and operated.
About Dr. Catherine Mulligan
Dr Cathy Mulligan is a Visiting Research Fellow at Imperial College Centre for Cryptocurrency Research and Engineering, a Senior Research Associate at UCL in Blockchain and a Fellow and Expert Member of the World Economic Forum’s Blockchain council. She has been active in researching blockchain since 2010. Prior to her academic career, Cathy gained 15 years’ international experience in the mobile telecommunications industry and is working extensively to apply blockchain in this space with several operators and SMEs. She has authored 7 books covering both the technology and economics of the mobile communications industries including SAE/EPC & M2M/IoT. Cathy also served as the Vice Chairman of the ETSI ISG on Context Information Management (IoT) during 2017. She has advised several governments regarding their blockchain and 5G strategies. She is co-author of the UK Government Office for Science Report “Beyond Blockchain”. She has remained active in mobile network research and provides a unique combination of technical and economic skills. She is a member of the United Nation Secretary General's High Level Panel on Digital Co-operation.
