Please describe your proposed solution.
The intention behind OxBAT (Oxford Blockchain, Art & Technology), one of the first academic conferences hosted at a university on this topic, is to marry academia and industry by initiating a multidisciplinary debate amongst students, academics, and industry experts. Through coming together for an inclusive and expansive discussion, we look to establish a foundation upon which further academic research in the field of NFTs and blockchain as a medium can be used as a springboard. It will allow professionally and creatively diverse attendees to build bridges between their research, practices and businesses, creating what we hope will be a valuable network of connected individuals who are passionate and innovative in the field, and whose position within the growing space we hope to enhance. Our conference will offer an opportunity to introduce, discuss, and actualise projects and research questions, to grow networks and create a fertile soil for their subsequent success. Cutting-edge research and cutting-edge creation must happen simultaneously for generating exemplary outcomes. The conference will offer an environment for fostering cross-discipline, as well as cross-chain pollination and collaboration, with a vision of moving beyond silos.
Please describe how your proposed solution will address the Challenge that you have submitted it in.
Organising the OxBAT Conference inherently addresses the challenge as it is hosted at the University of Oxford and it will be open to students from here but also from other universities. Academic conferences are important networking events and they bring together experienced researchers with young people who are keen on entering this path. The main goal behind OxBAT is to provide an inclusive platform for exchange, not only for researchers and experts from different fields but also for students who wish to enter the blockchain and NFT space.
The OxBAT Conference will take place in any case. With this proposal, we wish to specifically address the issue that it is hard for students to participate in bigger networking events. We expect the OxBAT conference to be a melting pot for ideas, discussions and innovation, influencing how the NFT space as blockchain art is perceived today and creating the foundation for its future development. We look forward to discussing various ideas with creatives, academics, entrepreneurs – and those who will continue this path in some years: the students!
What are the main risks that could prevent you from delivering the project successfully and please explain how you will mitigate each risk?
Organising academic conferences require a lot of work and their quality depends on the preparation that takes place beforehand. Therefore, the main challenge is to allocate enough time and resources to the preparation. We also rely on external funding.