# EthNYC '25 - Ethereum Research Funding Forum (Aug 13)

- **Date & Time:** 09:30 - 18:00, Wednesday, Aug 13, 2025
- **Venue:** [Verizon Executive Education Center](https://maps.app.goo.gl/DNdgoFVgtB5cKQ8A8) inside Cornell Tech Campus, Roosevelt Island ([34 N Loop Rd, New York, NY 10044](https://maps.app.goo.gl/DNdgoFVgtB5cKQ8A8)).
How to get there: 500 meters (10-min walk) from the *[Roosevelt Island Subway Station (F-train)](https://rioc.ny.gov/301/Subway)*. Navigate to [Graduate by Hilton New York](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Graduate+by+Hilton+New+York/), next to the hotel is the venue building, event is on the 1st floor.
- **Event Registration (Speakers & Audience):** https://lu.ma/qgrlj5c9
- **Food & Beverage (Speakers & Audience):**
Breakfast: outside the venue, door opens at 08:00
Snacks & Coffee: available starting 10:00
Lunch: lunchboxes outside the venue starting 13:00
Reception: drinks & light food outside of venue starting 18:00.

# [Agenda](https://hackmd.io/@Carboclanc/SJFYXKt_ex)
*Agenda may subject to minor update throughout the event, please check back for live changes. Slides will be added throughout the event, video recap will be added after the end of the event.*

> **Agenda with Slides**: https://hackmd.io/@Carboclanc/SJFYXKt_ex
> **Zoom Link (Speakers Only)**: https://cornell.zoom.us/j/92750716179?pwd=666RcdNbTU55Z8bdtOByaWCa3Drcnu.1&from=addon
> **YouTube Livestream (General Audience):** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xojE5a51INY
> **Live Async Q&A (Speakers & Audience):** https://wall.sli.do/event/2cFEFkf8kguuemLtwDFGCq?section=f3e2b010-60fa-4a0a-ba2c-74b0b79f10f1
> **Program Committee:** Ari Juels, Al Lim, Tim Roughgarden, Danny Ryan, Fahad Saleh, Tina Zhen

### 09:30-11:00 | Chapter 1. Ethereum R&D Frontier

`09:30-10:00` **Ethereum Past, Present and Future: Core Research Dependencies ([Slides](https://drive.google.com/file/d/17xWx99EbHXtWRvdikEigeKonX46l03Z-/view?usp=sharing))**
`Speaker-remote` [Vitalik](https://x.com/vitalikbuterin?lang=en) (Researcher at Ethereum Foundation)

`10:00-10:15` **Applied Privacy in Ethereum ([Slides](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ewk1U8tMtPJtwne2bFiMHkvnK53hUxI7Mqj7HCXd9_Y/edit?usp=sharing))**
`Speaker` [Jonathan Alexander](https://x.com/jalex206?lang=en) (CTO at [OpenZepplin](https://www.openzeppelin.com/))

`10:15-10:30` **Hardening Ethereum’s Security Stack with Formal Verification ([Slides](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1BvKIoX4OVpjywbLBny0FRSkLQsI61c5x9Ce8JKYusfA/edit?slide=id.g35de1085336_0_27#slide=id.g35de1085336_0_27))**
`Speaker` [Mooly Sagiv]((https://x.com/sagivmooly?lang=en)) (CEO at [Certora](https://www.certora.com/), Chair of Software Systems at Tel Aviv University)

`10:30-10:45` **What research can allow institutional infrastructure to be anchored on Ethereum's L2s? ([Slides](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1_cqQzDWet5LSg3te26hFPCsueRd2h5D6c-b0XSCWMXc/edit?usp=sharing))**
`Speaker` [Krzysztof Urbanski](https://x.com/kaereste) (Head of Governance at [L2BEAT](https://l2beat.com/scaling/summary))
`References` [Tweet Thread](https://x.com/kaereste/status/1949148071922721249)

`10:45-11:00` **Next-Gen Blockchain: Empowering Scalability and User Experience with L2s ([Slides](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1YndyR_FuI6PqlGD56ARd0XIKdt3Dei7us50K__TTCMM/edit?usp=sharing))**
`Speaker` [Harry Kalodner](https://x.com/hkalodner?lang=en) (CTO & Co-Founder at [Offchain Labs](https://www.offchainlabs.com/))

### 11:00-12:30 | Chapter 2. Ethereum Real World Impact

`11:00-11:15` **How Academics Can Help Shape Blockchain Policy ([Slides](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1C81YifFfLbQuLWnNt8KeQIGl53wfmadKOtpn0rk6q6s/edit))**
`Speaker` [Connor Spelliscy](https://x.com/c_spelliscy) (ED at [Decentralization Research Center](https://thedrcenter.org/))

`11:15-11:30` **Ethereum Thesis ([Slides](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w5nauFEiwIpCqiRXodAjcRS4eLT1Lklt/view?usp=sharing))**
`Speaker` [Artem Kotelskiy](https://x.com/artofkot?lang=en) (Head of Crypto Research at [Cyber Fund](https://cyber.fund/))
`References` [Tweet Thread](https://x.com/cyberFund_/status/1929562370579562910).

`11:45 - 12:00` **Public Goods for Institutions ([Slides](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1T9O6WCztCQkqKAx43RXr5gCyNDEw6mylFCDuNVwMhjY/edit?slide=id.g3453a5069f7_0_2072#slide=id.g3453a5069f7_0_2072))**
`Speaker` [Devan Mitchem](https://x.com/mitchem) (Global Product & Partnerships, Web3 at Google Cloud)

`12:00-12:30` **Panel | Research Moonshots for Financial Markets**
`Panelist` [Tarun Chitra](https://x.com/tarunchitra) (CEO at [Gauntlet](https://www.gauntlet.xyz/), [Robot Ventures](https://robvc.com/))
`Panelist` [Phil Daian](https://x.com/phildaian) ([Flashbots](https://flashbots.notion.site/21f6b4a0d87680a2b08dca1eda93ff6f?v=21f6b4a0d87681ddb959000c44242e52))
`Panelist` [Hong Kim](https://x.com/hongkim__) (CTO at [Bitwise](https://bitwiseinvestments.com/), [NounsDAO](https://nouns.wtf/))
`Panelist-remote` [Gordon Liao](https://gliao.xyz/) (Chief Economist & Head of Research at [Circle](https://www.circle.com/))
`Panelist` [Harry Kalodner](https://x.com/hkalodner?lang=en) (CTO & Co-Founder at [Offchain Labs](https://www.offchainlabs.com/))
`Navigator` [Tina Zhen](https://x.com/tzhen) (Steward & Co-founder at [Flashbots](https://www.flashbots.net/))

### 12:30-13:30 | Chapter 3. Defi Mechanism Design

`12:30-12:45` **How AMMs compare to Limit Order Books as mechanisms for trading ([Slides](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PvKIa0Sc0q3g5D4uLFdT3FG9aTzTlWdp/view?usp=sharing))**
`Speaker` [Joel Hasbrouck](https://www.stern.nyu.edu/faculty/bio/joel-hasbrouck) (Kenneth G. Langone Professor of Business, Professor of Finance, NYU Stern)
`References`[An Economic Model of a Decentralized Exchange with Concentrated Liquidity](https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4529513).

`12:45-13:00` **Price improvement through OFAs e.g. Uniswap X ([Slides](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JzVDJAbbkl06lqLIfX8-5x3DxQhA1Cjw/view?usp=sharing))**
`Speaker` [Brad Bachu](https://x.com/bradbachu?lang=en) (Research Scientist, Protocols Team, [Uniswap Labs](https://app.uniswap.org/).)
`References` [Quantifying Price Improvement in Order Flow Auctions](https://blog.uniswap.org/UniswapX_PI.pdf)

`13:00-13:15` **The Economics of Decentralized Lending ([Slides](https://slides.com/ap248/decentralized-lending-eth-conference?token=fc2jpyeV))**
`Speaker` [Andreas Park](https://x.com/financeutm?lang=en) (Professor of Finance, University of Toronto).
`References` [Phantom Liquidity in Decentralized Lending](https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4489732)

`13:15-13:30` **Open Problems in Cross-Chain Liquidity ([Slides](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1oLgSmYDmTu4xOAAwnKOxIzE_Cgsf9ua1o6QA0rr3PLc/edit?usp=sharing))** 
`Speaker` [Nathan Leung](https://x.com/nathan_sj_stem) (Co-Founder at [Vishwa](https://x.com/vishwa_xyz))

### 12:30-13:00 | 30-min Lunch Break

### 14:00-15:00 | Townhall - Ecosystem R&D Coordination
`14:00-14:30` **Ecosystem Funding Challenges and Opportunities**

`Panelist` [Hong Kim](https://x.com/hongkim__) (CTO at [Bitwise](https://bitwiseinvestments.com/), [NounsDAO](https://nouns.wtf/))
`Panelist` [Chris Haug](https://x.com/cshg0x) (Director at [PBS.Foundation](https://pbs.foundation/), [ZuBerlin](https://x.com/zuberlincity))
`Panelist` [Raffi Sapire](https://x.com/raffisapire) (Founder at [Tl;dr Conference](https://www.thelatestindefi.org/))
`Panelist` [Sarah Allen](https://x.com/sarahalle_) (Director at [Flashbots Research](https://flashbots.notion.site/21f6b4a0d87680a2b08dca1eda93ff6f?v=21f6b4a0d87681ddb959000c44242e52), [IC3](https://www.initc3.org/))
`Navigator` [Tina Zhen](https://x.com/tzhen) (Steward & Co-founder at [Flashbots](https://www.flashbots.net/))

`14:30-15:00` **Ecosystem R&D Best Practices**

`Panelist` [Noah Citron](https://x.com/NoahCitron) ([a16zcrypto](https://x.com/a16zcrypto) Research, [Helios](https://github.com/a16z/helios))
`Panelist` [Kelvin Fichter](https://x.com/kelvinfichter) (Co-founder at [OP Labs](https://x.com/OPLabsPBC))
`Panelist` [Steve Ellis](https://x.com/streamofco) (Co-founder at [Chainlink](https://chain.link/))
`Panelist` [Kartik Talwar](https://x.com/TheRealKartik) (Co-founder at [EthGlobal](https://x.com/ETHGlobal), GP at [A_Capital](https://acapital.com/), [SV Angel](https://x.com/svangel))
`Navigator` [Tina Zhen](https://x.com/tzhen) (Steward & Co-founder at [Flashbots](https://www.flashbots.net/))

### 15:00-16:45 | Chapter 4. Interdisciplinary Research on Protocol Economics

`15:00-15:15` **A short academic retrospective on MEV and incentives (Slides)**
`Speaker` [Mahimna Kelkar](https://x.com/_mahimna) (Research Scientist at [Offchain Labs](offchainlabs.com), Assistant Professor soon-to-be at Purdue University)
`References` [Birds-of-a-Feather Session: MEV Solutions Led by Phil Daian and Mahimna Kelkar](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9XOOxUsPHk)

`15:15-15:30` **Multiple Concurrent Leader: Why and How (Slides)**
`Speaker` [Pranav Garimidi](https://www.linkedin.com/in/pranav-garimidi-1a31b219b/) (Research Analyst at a16z)

`15:30-15:45` **The Economics of Slashing ([Slides](https://drive.google.com/file/d/153NxKi4LLlJN7kmc5iUOgq9QPaJUy9Nj/view?usp=sharing))**
`Speaker` [Andy Lewis-Pye](https://www.lse.ac.uk/Mathematics/people/Andrew-Lewis-Pye) (Professor at London School of Economics)

`15:45-16:00` **Incentives with Manipulated Signals and DePIN Applications ([Slides](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1_sq9V0TpA__mScOvRqdZHs3yVx-h8V64yK57cNpJ35k/edit?usp=sharing))**
`Speaker` [Jason Milionis](https://jasonmili.github.io/) (PhD Student at Columbia University).
`References` [Incentive-Compatible Recovery from Manipulated Signals, with Applications to Decentralized Physical Infrastructure](https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.07558)

`16:00-16:15` **Revisiting the Primitives of Transaction Fee Mechanism Design ([Slides](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1XrzrpOmgHWCp-YFzTcu9EEPG9Dq_8nl_/edit?usp=drivesdk&ouid=105002352990200450538&rtpof=true&sd=true))**
`Speaker` [Matt Weinberg](https://www.cs.princeton.edu/~smattw/) (Associate Professor of Computer Science at Princeton University)
`References` [Revisiting the Primitives of Transaction Fee Mechanism Design](https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.07566)

`16:15-16:30` **Centralization in Proposer Builder Separation ([Slides](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1_sq9V0TpA__mScOvRqdZHs3yVx-h8V64yK57cNpJ35k/edit?usp=sharing))**
`Speaker` [Mallesh Pai](https://x.com/malleshpai?lang=en) (Lay Family Associate Professor, Sr. Director of Research, Rice University & [Consensys](https://consensys.io/))

`16:30-16:45` **MEV Research for the Next 10 Years: Why Blockbuilding (Slides)**
`Speaker` [Phil Daian](https://x.com/phildaian) (Steward & Co-founder at [Flashbots](flashbots.org))

### 16:45-18:00 | Chapter 5. Applications Design Pattern for the Next Billions
`16:45-17:00` **ZIPNet: Low-bandwidth anonymous broadcast from (dis)Trusted Execution Environments (Slides)**
`Speaker` [Fan Zhang](https://www.fanzhang.me/) (Assistant Professor at Yale University)
`References` [DECO: Liberating Web Data Using Decentralized Oracles for TLS](https://arxiv.org/abs/1909.00938)

`17:00-17:15` **Build Unstoppable Verifiable Agents (Slides)**
`Speaker-remote` [Sreeram Kannan](https://x.com/sreeramkannan?lang=en) (CEO of [Eigenlayer](https://app.eigenlayer.xyz/), Associate Professor at University of Washington)

`17:15 - 18:00` **Roast | Research Moonshot for Future of Technology (Intro Slide)**
`Panelist` [Devan Mitchem](https://x.com/mitchem) (Global Product & Partnerships, Web3 at Google Cloud)
`Panelist-remote` [Andrew Miller](https://x.com/socrates1024) ([Flashbots_X](https://x.com/flashbots_x): [Teleport](https://teleport.best/), [Zcash Foundation](https://x.com/ZcashFoundation))
`Panelist-remote` [Sreeram Kannan](https://x.com/sreeramkannan?lang=en) (CEO of [Eigenlayer](https://app.eigenlayer.xyz/), Associate Professor at University of Washington)
`Roast Master` [Tina Zhen](https://x.com/tzhen) (Steward & Co-founder at [Flashbots](https://www.flashbots.net/))

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