UCSB-ECON DeFi Seminar
By Graduate Students, For Graduate Students
Latest News
August 25, 2024 - DeFi Seminar Series: Pioneering the Future of Decentralized Finance As the world of decentralized finance (DeFi) continues to evolve, the DeFi Seminar Series returns this fall, ready to explore the cutting-edge developments that are shaping the industry. Building on the momentum of its previous successes, the seminar remains a vital hub for academics, industry professionals, and DeFi enthusiasts to come together and exchange ideas. This fall, the series is set to present ten captivating sessions, featuring some of the most influential voices in the DeFi space. Kicking off on September 24th, the seminar will host Kushal Babel from the Cornell Tech, who will discuss "PROF: Protected Order Flow in a Profit-Seeking World" The DeFi Seminar Series is committed to fostering an environment where deep academic research meets real-world applications. This year, we are particularly excited to broaden our focus, welcoming an even more diverse range of perspectives. Whether you’re a researcher, practitioner, or simply curious about DeFi, this seminar offers an unparalleled opportunity to engage with leading thinkers and gain fresh insights into the future of finance. To stay updated on the seminar series and secure your spot, visit our official website at https://ucsbdefi.wixsite.com/seminar. Don’t miss out on what promises to be another exceptional season of learning and collaboration.
Sep 11, 2023 - UCSB-ECON DeFi Seminar Series: A Confluence of Academic Brilliance and Industry Insights This Fall The UCSB-ECON DeFi Seminar is back in the limelight, announcing its Fall DeFi Seminar Series schedule. After its successful inaugural year, the seminar has become a focal point for discussions on decentralized finance (DeFi), attracting attention from both academia and industry. This fall, the series is set to feature an array of esteemed speakers from across the globe. The seminar is set to host ten insightful sessions by eminent researchers throughout the fall. The series will commence on September 29th with Michele Fabi of the Center for Research in Economics and Statistics (CREST), Paris, who will delve into "Blockchain Design with Transmission Delays." The UCSB-Econ DeFi Seminar Series stands as a testament to the commitment to fostering a collaborative environment for learning and growth in the DeFi sector with researchers around the globe, especially with graduate students. This year's series, marked by its blend of scholarly depth and practical insights, is set to elevate the seminar's stature even further. DeFi enthusiasts and professionals are advised to save the dates and join the seminar's mailing list for regular updates. For more details on the series’ schedule and to register, interested individuals can visit the official UCSB-Econ website at https://ucsbdefi.wixsite.com/seminar.
July 24, 2023 - UCSB DeFi Seminar Series Celebrates Successful First Academic Year The UCSB-ECON DeFi Seminar is thrilled to share that we have successfully completed our first academic year. This innovative seminar series, led by graduate students and piloted in Spring 2022, has seen remarkable growth with 24 engaging seminar talks throughout the year. This seminar series, sponsored by the Uniswap Foundation, which highlights the strength of student-led initiatives. Our motto "by graduate students, for graduate students" reflects our dedication to being a hub of knowledge, communication, and development for the graduate student community. Over the past year, we've had the pleasure of hosting esteemed researchers in the DeFi field, including Professor Andreas Park from the University of Toronto and Professor Alfred Lehar from the University of Calgary for in-person talks in Santa Barbara.  Additionally, we featured online seminars with speakers like Professor Lin William Cong from Cornell University and Professor Harald Uhlig from the University of Chicago, among others. We are proud that 11 out of the 24 seminars were presented by graduate students, including 5 talks by female students, emphasizing our commitment to promoting diversity and inclusivity. The UCSB DeFi Seminar Series has also embraced an international outlook, with speakers from the USA, Europe, Canada, and Asia, fostering a global community of learners and innovators. By bringing together academia and industry, the series has provided valuable insights for all participants. Our seminar covers a wide range of interesting topics in DeFi. We talk about things like how DeFi market design can be applied to equity markets, the dynamics of algorithmic stable coins (UST crash analysis), and the impact of selling collateral assets in DeFi. We explore various aspects of DeFi, including Decentralized Exchanges, Decentralized Lending, Stablecoins, CBDC, NFTs, DAOs, Taxation, Regulation, and more. All seminar recordings are available on our YouTube channel, attracting significant attention and views, making them a valuable resource for those interested in DeFi. Additionally, our seminar website serves as a comprehensive hub for accessing all seminar links and information. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our sponsor, the Uniswap Foundation, whose support has been essential in bringing this seminar series to life. Their commitment to education and innovation in the DeFi space has been invaluable. Special thanks go to Professors Rod Garratt, Erik Eyster, and Antony Millner, as well as the UCSB Economics Department, for their unwavering support and guidance, contributing significantly to the success of this seminar series. As we look ahead to the next academic year, we are excited to continue this journey of learning, sharing, and growing together. For more information, please visit our website: https://ucsbdefi.wixsite.com/seminar. Check out our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@ucsb-econ-defi.