Scope

The section Blockchain for Science addresses blockchain and related distributed ledger technologies applied to science, research and knowledge creation. These technologies have the potential to influence almost all aspects of the research environment. Blockchain may provide a technical solution to overcome many of the current shortcomings of the research process and related systems, from reproducibility to funding challenges. We call upon scientists in all phases and disciplines of research to contribute to the upcoming blockchain evolution in science and knowledge creation.

We are looking for manuscripts describing both empirical experience as well as theoretical applications to any scientific field from the experts and the technology partners that may assist. Descriptions of how blockchain can be applied to science, the good it will do for advancing knowledge, and the value it can bring. Information on the challenges in each field is encouraged: limitations on data standards, complexity of data and workflows, along with regulatory, administrative, cybersecurity, and other hurdles.

We envision blockchain with a wide lens that includes decentralized services that are not necessarily based on traditional blockchain data structure, new decentralized data handling paradigms, and novel applications within the broader crypto-economy. In this light, blockchain is seen as a fundamental component to Web3, a serverless internet and peer-to-peer decentralized web.

We welcome blockchain related submissions in the following topics: 

Research Data:

• Trusted hardware
• 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:

• Peer-review process
• Decentralized journals
• Assured micropublications
• Intellectual property
• Social physics of innovation and ideas
• "Smart evidence"
• Novel altmetrics

Research funding:

• New ways to distribute research money
• Incentive structures, game theory, signaling
• Crypto-/token-economy for science
• Data marketplaces (New deals on data)

Cooperation: 

• Research distributed autonomous organizations (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

Submission

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