New Program Hosted by the Blockchain Law for Social Good Center at the University of San Francisco School of Law
In the landscape of modern technology, few innovations have sparked as much interest as blockchain and related technologies. Blockchains can reshape entire industries and transform how people use the internet. Although there are countless use cases, there is still limited research into the legal and policy implications of blockchain technology and how it will impact the world around us – from digital identity and personhood to cybersecurity and sustainability. The Blockchain Law for Social Good Center is on a mission to equip the legal, government, and policy communities with the knowledge and tools they need to understand the challenges and opportunities of this emerging technology.
The International Affiliated Scholars (IAS) program is a part of the Center’s educational focus. The IAS program, supported by Filecoin Foundation for the Decentralized Web (FFDW), will bring together and empower blockchain scholars worldwide to explore the nexus of blockchain law and social good.
On Tuesday, September 26 at 8:30 am PT, the Center is hosting a Virtual Kickoff to welcome the new cohort and introduce the topics they’ll be exploring as part of the program. Each cohort member is poised to challenge norms, fuel cross-disciplinary collaboration, and explore how technology impacts our daily lives.
Alexandra Andhov: Alexandra Andhov is a distinguished authority in law and technology. She currently holds the position of Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen. Her expertise lies in understanding and regulating emergent technologies, encompassing areas like blockchain, crypto assets, and artificial intelligence. In academia, Andhov infuses her teaching with an entrepreneurial spirit. She has pioneered courses centered on start-up law, blockchain regulation, and computational legal thought.
Beyond her academic pursuits, Andhov is the founder of the Copenhagen Legal/Tech Lab. This initiative serves as a nexus for research and education, championing legal innovation within the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Law. In 2019, her academic excellence was further acknowledged during her tenure as a Fulbright Scholar at Cornell Law School.
At present, Andhov plays a pivotal role on several advisory boards for fintech companies and international NGO Finance Watch. Her proactive involvement with the Nordic start-up ecosystem, coupled with her advisory roles, stands as a testament to her dynamic and forward-thinking approach in her domain.
Oluwaseun Adepoju: Oluwaseun David Adepoju is an esteemed technology thought leader with more than a decade of experience in the African technology policy and entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem.
As a researcher, his publications have appeared in renowned academic journals, including the International Journal of Digital Society and the International Journal of Internet and Secured Transactions. Adepoju's research portfolio shows extensive expertise in various cutting-edge areas, such as blockchain, collaborative technologies, knowledge economies, e-government, digital nomadism, digital literacy, and digital minimalism.
As an Editor of the Africa Blockchain Report, he curates and presents insights into the dynamic landscape of blockchain innovation across Africa. His invaluable contributions empower a wide array of stakeholders, including organizations, investors, policymakers, governments, and individuals, enabling them to make well-informed decisions regarding the adoption and utilization of blockchain technology. In the German Corporation/MakeITAfrica 2018 technology trend-scouting report, he was highlighted as one of the leading technology advocates in Africa, recognizing his significant contributions to the field.
He has also successfully overseen research initiatives focused on Blockchain and Technology Entrepreneurship across 12 African nations: Tanzania, South Africa, Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Morocco, Mauritius, and Ghana.
Thiago de Souza Amparo: Thiago de Souza Amparo is a professor at FGV Direito SP and FGV International Relations School, teaching courses on human rights, international law, and discrimination law. Since 2017, Amparo has taught courses on a wide range of issues, such as international public law, race, and gender in the judicial system and policing and the law, hate crimes, and related topics.
Amparo is a lawyer with a bachelor's degree from PUC-SP (Sao Paulo, Brazil), a master's degree in human rights (LLM) from the Central European University (Budapest, Hungary), and a Ph.D. from the same university with a thesis on discrimination law in Brazil, South Africa, and the United States and its relation with conservative legal mobilization before apex courts. He was a visiting scholar at Columbia University (New York, United States) in 2014, and a postdoctoral fellow at New York University for Fall 2021. During this research period, Amparo has written a paper on necropolitics and the law in Brazil. He is an expert in constitutional law and public policy as well as diversity and anti-discrimination law. In this capacity, Amparo has worked as a consultant for companies and foundations about diversity and inclusion and ESG.
These scholars represent the forefront of research into emerging blockchain technology and use cases, and their diverse backgrounds and expertise will undoubtedly catalyze a dynamic exchange of ideas that transcends borders and disciplines.
Join us for the IAS Virtual Kickoff on September 26, 2023 at 8:30 AM PT to learn more about the topics they’ll be exploring as part of the IAS program!
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