Funding Science with Science: Cryptocurrency and Independent Academic Research Funding

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/ledger.2017.108

Keywords:

funding basic science, masternodes, scientific funding, staking coins.

Abstract

Scientific funding within the academy is an often complicated affair involving disparate and competing interests. Private universities, for instance, are vastly outpacing public institutions in garnering large, prestigious, science-related grants and external research investment. Inequities also extend to the types of research funded, with government, corporate, and even military interests privileging certain types of inquiry. This article proposes an innovative type of science research fund using cryptocurrencies, a fast-growing asset class. Although not a total funding solution, staking coins, specifically, can be strategically invested in to yield compound interest. These coins use masternode technologies to collateralize the network and speed transaction pace and may pay dividends to masternode holders, allowing institutions that purchase these types of central hubs to potentially engage in a lucrative form of dividend reinvestment. Using cryptocurrencies as a new funding stream may garner large amounts of capital and creation of nonprofit institutes to support the future of funding scientific research within educational institutions.

Author Biographies

Edward Lehner, Bronx Community College, CUNY

Edward Lehner is an Assistant Professor of Education at Bronx Community College, CUNY.

Dylan Hunzeker, Opulen.llc

Dylan Hunzeker is a Researcher and Programmer at Opulen.llc and within the blockchain space. 

John R. Ziegler, Bronx Community College, CUNY

John R. Ziegler is an Assistant Professor of English at Bronx Community College, CUNY.

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Published

2017-12-18

How to Cite

Lehner, E., Hunzeker, D., & Ziegler, J. R. (2017). Funding Science with Science: Cryptocurrency and Independent Academic Research Funding. Ledger, 2, 65–76. https://doi.org/10.5195/ledger.2017.108

Issue

Vol. 2 (2017)

Section

Research Articles

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