Blockchains from an Information-Theoretic Viewpoint
Dr. Ulrich Tamm
Fachhochschule Bielefeld
Blockchains are related to various areas in Computer Science as data structures or databases. However, there are several interfaces with Information Theory which will be addressed in this lecture.
1. Cryptographic hash functions play a central role as a hash pointer, as in the Proof-of-Work concept responsible for the high energy consumption in generating cryptocoins.
2. There is intensive research to overcome the bottlenecks in blockchain technology, namely, high energy consumption and slow transactions.
3. Blockchains have many applications in logistics, e.g., to control problems in transport network analysis. Coding might come into play.
To understand the problems with existing implementations it is also essential to study the mining process.
Biography:
Education:
Diploma in Mathematics, University of Bielefeld, 1987
PhD in Mathematics in 1991 under supervision of Prof. Rudolf Ahlswede
Habilitation in Mathematics in 2002 (Arbiters: Rudolf Ahlswede, Vera Pless, Alon Orlitsky, Martin Aigner)
Professional:
1991 to 2000: research fellow in SFB "Discrete Structures in Mathematics" in the project "Models with Information Exchange" headed by Prof. Ahlswede and “Wiss. Assistent” at Department of Mathematics, University of Bielefeld
2001 to 2006: lecturer Computer Science Department, Technical University of Chemnitz (Area Theoretical Computer Science and Information Security)
2006 to 2012: Associate Professor and DAAD “Langzeitdozent”, German Language Dept. of Business Informatics, Marmara University Istanbul, since 2007 also as local DAAD project head.
since 2013: lecturer for Mathematics and Statistics, University of Applied Sciences Bielefeld, Dept. Economy and Health; since 2016 also lecturer for Statistics and Market Research at German Turkish University, Istanbul.
Visiting Positions: University of Electrocommunications, Chofu, Tokyo (1996 and 1997); Data Security Association "Confident", St. Peterburg (1997); Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest (July 1998); Lucent Bell Labs (1999), University of Pecs, Hungary (2006), Shanghai Tech University and Hallym University, Korea (2017).