CS 5094: Introduction to Blockchains, Cryptocurrencies, and Smart Contracts

Cornell Tech, Spring 2017

Instructor: Ari Juels
Course Location: Cornell Tech, Big Red
Meeting Times: T, 9:30am – 10:45am
Office Hours: After class and by appointment

Overview: Viewed variously as a niche currency for online criminals and a technological threat to the financial industry, Bitcoin has fueled mythmaking, financial speculation, and real technological innovation. We will study both Bitcoin and the technological landscape it has inspired and catalyzed. Topics will include: The mechanics of consensus algorithms, such as Proof of Work and Byzantine Consensus, and their role in blockchains and cryptocurrencies; cryptographic tools employed in cryptocurrencies, including digital signatures algorithm and zero-knowledge proofs; the evolution and mechanics of Bitcoin and its ecosystem; smart contracts; and special topics, such as trusted hardware in blockchain-based systems, smart contracts and real-world contract law, and cryptocurrencies and crime.

Prerequisites: Basic programming experience

Enrollment is limited to master’s-level standing at Cornell Tech.