Blockchain Technology for Global Social Change

"This book examines the concepts behind blockchain and the potential applications of the technology to improve the lives of the poor in emerging markets"--

Jane Thomason is a pioneer for Blockchain & digital technologies for social impact, education and empowerment of women. She is focused on emerging economies and how Frontier Technologies can accelerate poverty reduction and improve service delivery. In 2018 she was awarded Top 10 Digital Frontier Women and UN Decade Of Women Quantum Impact Champion. She has held Board and CEO roles in tertiary hospitals and health care sector in Australia and globally. She founded an international development company in 1999, built it to $50 m revenue, merged with Abt Associates and led to achieve a tripling of revenue and diversification to $250m with 650 staff. She resigned as CEO in March 2018 to commit full time to a global digital transformation agenda. She has 30 years’ experience in emerging economies in public health, poverty and inequality. She holds multiple appointments including Global Adviser on Digital Transformation Abt Associates, Digital Transformation Adviser to the Partnership for Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health, Digital Transformation Sub-Committee Chair, Kina Bank Papua New Guinea, Founding Member, British Frontier Technology Industry Association, Fellow of the Australian Digital Commerce Association and Section Chief Co-Editor Blockchain for Good: for Frontiers in Blockchain. Jane is adviser to Blockchain start-ups with social impact applications and is currently working with start-ups to develop Blockchain use cases in emerging economies. She is a regular hackathon judge and mentor including London Blockchain Week, London Fintech Week, Consensys and EOS Global Hackathons. She believes that the next wave of transformational innovation will be from emerging economies and has potential to reduce inequality and improve services to the poor.

Sonja Bernhardt is CEO of the award-winning software development firm ThoughtWare, Australia, and has been awarded three degrees: a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Abstract Algebra and Psychology (1987), Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management (1989), and MBA (Masters of Business Administration) (1992). For decades, she has tirelessly volunteered to passionately encourage women into technology studies and careers. This has included multiple industry-related activities such as executive committees and board membership over a period of 20 years, judging appointments in a wide variety of innovation and technology awards over a period of 15 years, and taking to the airwaves as resident “geek girl” on ABC Radio over a period of 7 years. In addition, she has been an occasional contributor and/or sponsor for government and university research and is a published author of book chapters and articles in industry magazines. Her prestigious honours are that she was the first Australian inducted into the WITI (Women in Technology International) Hall of Fame in 2005, winner of the Industry and Business Award in the Our Women, Our State Awards in 2009, and first Queensland woman to be awarded the prestigious Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for services to Information Technology in 2011. She bases her life and all activities on a reality- and reason-based philosophy.

Tia Kansara is a multi award-winning entrepreneur and economist. The youngest to ever receive the Royal Institute British Architects honorary fellowship, she is the co-founder of Kansara Hackney Ltd, the first ISO-certified sustainable lifestyle consultancy, and CEO of Replenish Earth Ltd, a cause and a collective action to protect the global commons. Hailed amongst the Top 100 most influential leaders in Tech by the Financial Times and Inclusive Boards, her clients include Coca Cola, Bloomberg, the European Commission, Forbes, Formula One, MIT, and Siemens.

Nichola Cooper is a technology researcher and PhD candidate at the University of the Sunshine Coast researching the futures of trust. Her research interests include trust, frontier technologies, information security and data privacy. She is Head of Research for NewVote and Senior Research Analyst for Blockchain Quantum Impact.