My Experience as a Devcon 5 Scholar
A journey from Virginia to Osaka, Japan
What is Devcon 5?
Devcon is an annual conference held by the Ethereum Foundation to connect and educate builders of all kind and empower them to use decentralized systems — such as blockchain.
This year, it is in Osaka, Japan from October 8–11, 2019. Previous locations include Prague and Cancun.
What is the Ethereum Foundation?
The Ethereum Foundation is a Swiss non-profit created for the Ether cryptocurrency. Their goal is to educate others in the world of blockchain and help developers create digital currency even if it’s their first time!
What exactly happens at Devcon?
‘Though the official Devcon agenda hasn’t been released yet, here is what we do know. Breakfast, lunch, tea, and coffee will be served and the conference, as of right now, is expected to go from 9am to 6pm. The main language for workshops and speakers will be English with Japanese translation where it is possible. In past conferences, they’ve had blockchain and cryptocurrency companies to have panels and educate the attendees.
What is a Devcon 5 Scholar?
The Devcon 5 scholarship is a program to provide equal opportunity to attend Devcon. Last year was its first year with the program. A ticket to Devcon 5 can cost around $1200 — this doesn’t even include flying to the location and paying for food and housing. For anyone who isn’t financially established in life or in a company who’s willing to foot the cost, this isn’t feasible. As a college student who has a part-time job of $10/hour, a projected $4000 cost can be almost half my paycheck! This allows a greater diversity — gender, race, economic background, etc. — in the blockchain community.
How did I apply?
First, I found out about the opportunity through Out In Tech, a community of LGBTQ+ people in the technology field. Through the Devcon website, I went through a typeform that asked me: what I knew about Ether, what I would do with my new knowledge of Ether, and why would my presence help increase diversity.
As a college student who heard about blockchain about once and had no true idea of how it related to cryptocurrency, I filled out the application on a whim, but truly expected nothing back. Thankfully, my passion for learning helped me stand out and I was one of 50 selected for the scholarship.
What do I get?
Like all scholarships, there are perks. Being a Devcon 5 scholar means that I get: (1) a Devcon V Ticket, (2) flight to and from Japan, (3) travel stipend, (4) daily meals, and (5) a hotel room. Alongside the financial perks, I also get educational/professional perks: a curriculum by ConsenSys that teaches me blockchain, theory, and system design, networking with Ethereum professionals, and special workshops/panels during my stay.
What do I have to do?
Also like all scholarships, there are requirements. We use a website called The Bounties Network which is simply a site where people can post tasks with cryptocurrency payout. Some tasks include cryptocurrency research, medium articles, and video journals.
I’m truly grateful to have this opportunity to not only learn more about cryptocurrency, but travel to another country.
If you’re interested in connecting with me and learning more about my experience, feel free to comment or find me on LinkedIn.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author above do not necessarily represent the views of the Ethereum Foundation.
