Cryptocurrency: From a Cyberpunk Experiment to a Geopolitical Economic Force

Sixteen years ago, during a global financial crisis a mysterious author sent a paper entitled “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System” to a mailing list of cybersecurity enthusiasts. That single paper and the technological model that it described launched a financial revolution that has touched all elements of the global financial landscape and has led to the definition of numerous new and unique monetary instruments. 

This course will explore:

• Why it's important to discuss cryptocurrency;
• What are the basic technologies behind cryptocurrencies;
• What some current and future real-world applications of cryptocurrencies;
• What are the personal and social implications of cryptocurrency; 
• What can be expected in the cryptocurrency ecosystem in the future.

Faculty Bio

Bebo White is retired from the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, the U.S. National Laboratory at Stanford University where he worked as a computational physicist. He currently holds faculty appointments at multiple academic institutions.

This is an In-Person, Livestreamed + Recorded Course

• Classes will meet in person at the Golden Bear Center, Suite 365, at 1995 University Ave., Berkeley
• Classes will stream live simultaneously, and be video recorded
• You must be a current OLLI @Berkeley member to register. Learn about membership, including our fee assistance program.

Schedule Highlights

• Course starts on Monday, March 31, and ends on Monday, April 21
• Classes meet for 4 weeks, 2 hours per session (1:00 PM– 3:00PM)
• All course materials will remain available to view and enjoy in Member Dashboards through May 31

Member Praise for Bebo White

Bebo was great!!! So knowledgeable. 

Excellent interactive and engaging speaker who kept me engaged throughout. Fascinating material.

Faculty Q&A

• Read an interview with Bebo White from our archive.