Cardano for STEM Brazilian Students

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Gilvania Vilela

[GENERAL] Are you delivering this project as an individual or as an entity (whether formally incorporated or not)

Individual

[GENERAL] Co proposers and Additional applicants

Giuliano Porciuncula Guedes

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

3

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language.

No

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem (200-character limit including spaces)

We will offer a free introductory course in Portuguese on Blockchain, Cardano, Catalyst, Haskell, and Plutus to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) undergrad and grad students.

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

No

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.”

No dependencies.

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

Yes

[GENERAL] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs

We will offer a free course on Cardano technology in Portuguese to registered STEM Brazilian students. The content will be available on a virtual class blockstem.io/edu

[METADATA] SDG rating

.

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution.

Learning blockchain technology is fundamental for the next generation of Science, Engineering, Technology, and Mathematics (STEM) professionals once they can apply it to improve fields such as cryptocurrency, supply chain, data management, healthcare, governance, and others. Even so, more courses and content in our Brazilian institutions need to be related to this critical topic. Most students interested in learning about this technology must know English and attend international online classes. This proposal aims to provide free lectures given in Portuguese for Engineering and Natural Science students about Blockchain and Cardano from a scientific perspective. 

We will offer an introductory course on Blockchain and Cardano including Haskell and Plutus, in 3 modules: (1) Introduction to Blockchain Technology and Cardano (total 4 hours); (2) Catalyst Ecosystem (total 2 hours); (3) Haskell, Plutus and Smart Contracts (total 6 hours).

The classes will be in person at the Polytechnic School of Engineering of the University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil, and transmitted online to those students unable to attend the in-person meetings.

The audience will be Brazilian STEM undergraduate and graduate students, and the lecturers will be doctors and graduate students in Physics and Engineering.

Module 1: Introduction to Blockchain Technology and Cardano

Syllabus:

1. Introduction to blockchain, security concepts and cryptology of blockchain;
2. Differences between the crypto networks and consensus on blockchain;
3. Cryptocurrencies Bitcoin and Ethereum and the third generation blockchain. Proof-of-work versus proof-of-stake;
4. Blockchain to improve the business;
5. Introduction to Cardano;
6. What are decentralized applications and smart contracts?

Module 2: Catalyst Ecosystem

1. What is the Catalyst ecosystem?
2. How to get funds for Blockchain and Cardano Startups?
3. Tutorial on how to submit a proposal in Catalyst.

Module 3: Haskell, Plutus and Smart Contracts

1. Intro to Haskell language
2. Intro to Plutus Platform
3. Examples of smart contracts on Plutus
4. Creating your smart contract in groups of 2 to 3 students 

[IMPACT] Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community.

Introducing the blockchain and Cardano technologies to STEM students will ignite this field of research and its applications in our institutions, companies, startups, and communities. We believe academia is crucial for attracting new high-qualified members to the Cardano ecosystem. Moreover, we expect these students will be multipliers of these tools inside their communities. Providing knowledge about Blockchain and Cardano protocol will revolutionize how STEM students deal with challenging daily problems. This project will also help to disseminate Cardano in Latin America. 

Moreover, we will teach the students to submit their proposals in Catalyst and how to create startups supported by Cardano. This will promote new STEM's undergraduate and graduate Brazilian students in the Catalyst ecosystem.

This project is a continuation of a funded project that started in Fund7 (https://cardano.ideascale.com/c/idea/381790) and continued in Fund9 (https://cardano.ideascale.com/c/idea/64463) and Fund10 (https://cardano.ideascale.com/c/idea/105071). The project will be executed every semester, as we intend to create a Blockchain and Cardano hub in our Brazilian University.

This round, we will offer classes on Haskell language and how to use the Plutus Platform. We will also focus on students' engagement in creating startups supported by Catalyst. For this purpose, we will give a tutorial on how Catalyst works and how to submit an idea. We will also advise the students if they decide to submit an idea in the Catalyst.

[CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

Our capability to deliver what is proposed is high. The three team members are Physicists, two graduate students, and an Associate Physics Professor, all with experience giving classes and seminars at important international scientific meetings and conferences. The course/tutorial content will be available online and with free access. The free course and Catalyst tutorial will be disclosed to Brazilian STEM students in their native Portuguese language.

Besides that, we will provide reports about our work containing the list of the registered students, pictures and videos of our meetings, and an analysis of our results and challenges during the execution of the project.

[Project Milestones] What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

• Preparation and review of the presentations on Introduction to Blockchain Technology and Cardano and Catalyst.
• Disclosure of the free course for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Brazilian students in our local University and neighboring ones.
• Update of our website blockstem.io with information of the new course. 
• Communication with the community: engaging students, professionals, and enthusiasts via posts on Instagram and Slack platform for the course registration.
• Registration of the selected students in our online education platform.

• Preparation of the presentations on Haskell, Plutus and Smart Contracts.
• Week 1 Class 1 content: Opening class with a coffee break; Introduction to blockchain technology, security concepts and cryptology of blockchain; Differences between the crypto networks; Consensus on Blockchain.
• Week 2 - Class 2 content : Cryptocurrencies Bitcoin and Ethereum and the third generation blockchain. Proof-of-work versus proof-of-stake; Blockchain to improve the business; Introduction to Cardano; What are decentralized applications and smart contracts?
• Week 3 - Class 3 content : What is the Catalyst ecosystem? How to get funds for Blockchain and Cardano Startups? Tutorial on how to submit a proposal in Catalyst.
• Week 4 - Class 4 content : Introduction to Haskell language

• Week 5 - Class 6 content :Introduction to Plutus Platform
• Documentation of the class Sessions: Photographs of the in-person with online transmission.
• Documentation of class notes and presentations.
• Encouragement of student participation in the Catalyst community.
• Discussion Group Monitoring: Participation and monitoring of discussion groups related to the course topics.

• Week 6 - Examples of smart contracts on Plutus and Creating your smart contract.
• Documentation of the class Sessions: Photographs of the in-person with online transmission.
• Documentation of class notes and presentations.
• Encouragement of student participation in the Catalyst community.
• Support and guidance for students interested in proposing projects within Catalyst open at the time of execution of this project. (We will be available for advising any student or group of students interested in submitting proposals at Catalyst funds. The communication channel will be open via email, discussion group or along the support meetings.)
• Ensure that the students know how to find the correct information about the next future Funds in Catalyst. (Our communication channel will be open via email and Slack).
• Completion of a comprehensive report on the proposed project, including analysis and future perspectives.
• Preparation of close-out report and video to IOG
• Distribution of course completion certificates to students.

The proposed project will be developed in 3 months.

The proposed project will be developed in 3 months.

The proposed project will be developed in 3 months.

[RESOURCES] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

Mateus Granha mgranha (Graduate Student). Role: Assistant lecturer.

Institution: Polytechnic School of the University of Pernambuco, Email: coordgraduacao@poli.br

He has experience in programming languages and statistical and Computational Physics, focused on Complex Network and Econophysics.

Igor Gibernoot gibernoot (Graduate Student). Role: Assistant lecturer.

Institution: Polytechnic School of the University of Pernambuco, Email: coordgraduacao@poli.br

He has experience in programming languages and statistical and Computational Physics, focused on Complex Network and Sociophysics.

Giuliano Porciúncula: (Graduate Student). Role: Assistant lecturer.

Institution: Polytechnic School of the University of Pernambuco, Email: coordgraduacao@poli.br

He has experience in programming languages and statistical and Computational Physics, focused on Complex Network and Sociophysics.

[BUDGET & COSTS] Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

The funds will be used along three months as described below:

Books expenses and Materials preparation (ADA 1,000)

Marketing and Websites (ADA 2,000)

Coffee break for the students (ADA 2,000)

2 Computers (6,000)

Coordination (ADA 20,000)

Personnel payment (ADA 28,800)

The classes and tutorials will be free for the students.

[VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

The fund will cover costs for website maintenance, digital media content creation, computers for the students work on their projects, Hackathon prize, preparation of presentations and tutorials in Portuguese, coffee breaks, Lecturers, and coordination. An average salary for a Doctor Lecturer in Brazil is typically 50,000 USD per annum; for a graduate student, it generally is 10,000 USD per annum. 

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agrees to Fund Rules and also that data in the submission form and other data provided by the project team during the course of the project will be publicly available.

I Accept