Genesis Block Web3 Internships
Explore Technical and Business Dimensions of Web3 and Decentralization
“I can say that this capstone has gone above and beyond my expectations.” Genesis Block Business Team Intern
“Wherever I go in life, I will never forget the experience I had at Red Sky Research.” Genesis Block Tech Team Intern
Red Sky Research is sponsoring another round of Mentored Web3 Internships for this winter 2021/2022 college break.
Similarly to how we conducted our Spring 2021 Genesis Block internship program with Westford Academy, we will explore technical and business aspects of Web3. In this program, our initial proposals include:
- Identify sources of on-chain metrics for Ethereum and Bitcoin
- Build our own Blockchain Explorer directly from Ethereum
- Aggregate Ethereum on-chain data across multiple sources
- Decompose and Model the NFT Marketplace
- Identify Use Cases for NFTs and Digital Identities
- Investigate progress in Banking the Unbanked
The Genesis Block Internship
Spring 2021, Westford Academy Senior Capstone Internships
Here are some quotes from our Genesis Block Interns
Overall, the internship at Red Sky Research opened the door into an exciting new technology for me as I worked with my teammates to understand how people exchange cryptocurrency.
Working with other members in a team helped me experience what it is like to work with others in the workplace. I worked with others to develop concept maps that demonstrated our comprehension of both the financial and technical concepts of cryptocurrencies.
Going into this internship, I was hoping to get some experience working in a team and accomplishing something for the company. And I got to do exactly that. Several times. Before this, the largest group I had worked with consisted of four people. But suddenly, I got to work with nine people in total. At first, it was a bit difficult for me, since I wasn’t used to working with this big a group. But I figured that this would be a good opportunity to learn.
When I was put in lead of the “Why Bitcoin is valued at $58,000?” project, I didn’t really know how to get everyone involved. But as the project progressed and I got to know everyone’s interests and what they excelled at, it became easier to talk to them. Learning about how to work with people, most of whom I didn’t know all too well, like this was the best part of the internship for me.
I loved meeting at the lecture hall each day. At first, we would gather and share our daily information with each other. Since I did not know much about cryptocurrency, I liked hearing about everyone’s findings. Once we started creating domain models, I liked collaborating with everyone. It really brought the group together and helped to keep everyone engaged. Even if there was confusion or disagreements, the group had important conversations to clear things up.
I can say that this capstone has gone above and beyond my expectations. I was able to learn so much about a variety of topics. I feel that all of the information I learned was useful and valuable. I believe that being more knowledgeable about cryptocurrency will help me to invest properly. Each day during this senior experience, I looked forward to researching topics I was genuinely interested in. That was one of my favorite parts! I felt that each day was very productive, and I always felt successful after each meeting
I am proud of the work that I have done at Red Sky Research. I enjoyed the work I have done with my teammates. The internship gave me an experience that I can show to future employers. Furthermore, it got me interested in cryptocurrencies and the technical aspects behind it. Wherever I go in life, I will never forget the experience I had at Red Sky Research.
In the Spring of 2021 Red Sky Research sponsored it’s first Mentored Web3 Internship Program for Westford Academy in Westford, Massachusetts. We affectionately call this internship The Genesis Block Internship. The program ran for 5 weeks.
Each Intern was given a book from this collection:
Week 1 and 2, modeled and answered the question of ‘Why is Bitcoin valued at $50,000?” in the context of economic theory, the history of money and the current fiscal situation. We then began deeper dives:
- Business Team decomposed the Crypto market into domains
- Tech team began building smart contracts and deploying an NFT on the Cardano testnet
In our final meeting, we watched “The Big Short”.
This excellent 2015 movie stars Christian Bale, Brad Pitt, Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling. It is an expose of the Wall Street and centralized banking greed and corruption which led to the 2007-2008 financial crisis we affectionately refer to as The Great Recession of 2008.
The Great Recession had a role in accelerating the the creation of Bitcoin.
Business Analysis Team
Our Business Analysis Team will work as a cohesive unit to perform coordinated Web3 Business and Market Analysis and Use Case development:
- Impact of Decentralization
- Cryptocurrency Market
- Digital Identity
- Impact of NFTs on Artists and Content Creators
As part of the this team, you will work collaboratively with our Software team to investigate a range of topics of interest to you and create intellectual property which will be used to inform and educate a wider audience, including potential customers and investors.
Software Research and Development Team
Our Software Development Team will work together to investigate Web3 software application development techniques and opportunities:
- On-Blockchain Metrics
- Blockchain Fundamentals
- Smart Contract Development
- Programming NFTs
As part of the Software Development Team, you will be participate in research, design and development of software proofs-of-concept primarily on, but not limited to, the Cardano Network.
Recommendation from Intern, Francois P., 2019-2020
18 month French International internship
Topic: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at Scale
When we first met, Tom asked me what would be my dream job in a few years. I told him I wanted to become a Machine Learning Engineer. He said, “Amazing, let’s see which projects can bring you closer to that goal.”
For the next 18 months of my internship, Tom’s guidance brought me closer to that dream as I worked on bleeding edge machine learning projects.
I graduated in applied statistics, and as a young graduate, I was fortunate to find a mentor like Tom. He is curious about new technologies and wants his interns to grow and become experts in their topics of interest.
Tom is an expert Software Engineer, the lessons learned from the time spent together left a strong impact on how I approach a problem. Now, I design more robust solutions to the real-life business problem I encounter.
Daily, I experienced Tom’s willingness to help the people around him become the best version of themselves. When I struggled to design a part of my system, Tom gave me his undivided attention and helped me identify a resolution path. He also helped me prepare for hackathons and sponsored me to talk at a national conference. In a nutshell, Tom pushed me to sharpen my skills in my area of expertise. His guidance also helped me stay focused on my goals in the bizarre period we all experience right now.
Recommendation from Intern, Rémy L. 2019
5 month French International internship
Topic: Cloud-based Hybrid Access Control for Solutions
Having Tom as a manager really took my internship at Schneider Electric from a great experience to a one I learned a lot from.
Not only is he talented in technical subjects but he was still always thirsty to learn from and discuss about the subjects on which I went through my internship.
He is also talented at managing teams (even remotely and from different cultures) and, lucky me, he encouraged me in taking place and participating in many meetings with different teams around the company. This may seems to be a waste of time at first glance but it is the opposite.
During my first long (5-month) work experience, I learned a lot both from an area I am not an expert on and from the organisation of such companies.
I think it is the key here: Tom knew how to make this experience very profitable to me.
