Scope

The section Blockchain for Science addresses blockchain applications in Science, Research and Knowledge creation. Blockchain in a wider sense bears the potential to greatly influence almost all aspects of the research environment. Blockchain may provide a technical solution to overcome current shortcomings of the research system. Therefore, we call upon visionary as well basic research that will help to guide and structure the upcoming blockchain evolution in science and knowledge creation, so to prevent dead-ends and disadvantageous developments. Technical papers, prototyping, as well as application studies are welcome. Analysis or assessment of the impact of Blockchain to the science system are appreciated.

We understand 'blockchain' in a wide definition that includes decentralized services that are not based on blockchain (the data structure), new decentralized data handling paradigms and cryptoeconomy. Furthermore the term blockchain is seen as a pars-pro-toto noun of the Web3 stack. 

We welcome submissions in the following topics:

Research Data:

• Trusted hardware
• Blockchain connection to the Internet of Research Things (IoRT)
• Data immutability
• New data handling paradigms (e.g. incl. zero-knowledge, multi-party computation, novel trust chains)
• Decentralized data storage
• Standardization/Exchange
• Research subject privacy
• Decentralized machine learning and AI

Publication:

• Blockchainified peer-review process
• Decentralized journals
• Assured micropublications
• Intellectual property on the Blockchain
• Social physics of innovation and ideas
• "Smart evidence"
• Novel altmetrics
• Copyright aspects

Research money:

• New ways to distributed research money
• Incentive structures, game theory, signalling
• Crypto-/tokeneconomy for Science
• Data marketplaces (New deals on data)

Cooperation: 

• Research DAOs 
• Researcher identity
• Novel economies in decision making

Structural: 

• Decentralization 
• Novel business models for research service providers
• Change management, stakeholder integration, disruption
• Integration in centralized (legacy) structures
• Silo and single-point of failure free research infrastructure
• Education, onboarding, empowerment
• Organizational and administrative overhead (reduction)
• Technical implementations
• Impact on research culture
• Legal aspects

Copyright Statement