Introduction
During Q2 2024, I decided to apply for the Ethereum Foundation's Devcon 7 Scholarship in the category of Other Builders, and suddenly, I won! This unexpected news filled me with excitement and gratitude, as it opened up a world of opportunities within the Ethereum community at one of its most significant events.
The Devcon Scholars Program was designed to bring together builders from diverse backgrounds and disciplines, fostering a collaborative environment focused on co-learning and innovation. As a recipient of this scholarship, I had the chance to connect with like-minded individuals who were passionate about pushing the boundaries of Ethereum technology. This program not only provided me with financial support for attending Devcon but also emphasized personal and professional growth through mentorship. I decided to buy my flight in October for several reasons that I will explain in a few more lines.
During this entrance I will talk a little about the process: (1) Before Devcon, (2) During Devcon, (3) After Devcon, and some (4) Concluding Remarks within my background as a researcher of coral reefs from LatAM exploring DeSci and web3 since a few years.
So... Let's start!
Before Devcon
I am a core contributor of AuraSci, bartering part of my time for experiences within this community for now. We decided to create a pop-up residence/city: Auraverse focused on DeSci during the Archipelago/Pop-up City Fest in Chiang Mai. The Ethereum Foundation gave me the opportunity to book my flight for the days before Devcon with the per diem at my own expense.
During this time, I participated in many DeSci activation tracks aimed at cross-pollinating initiatives between pop-up experiments.
As AuraSci, we created several tracks in our residence throughout the month, including cultural activities with stakeholders such as local communities and the University of Chiang Mai: (1) Biohacking & Longevity: Innovating Health, (2) AI & Data: Future of Intelligence, and (3) Open-Source & DeSci: Empowering Innovation.
We hosted several important guests in our pop up experiment: including representatives from BiohackerDAO, Foresight Institute, Seapunks Community, Lovepunks Community, Ocean Protocol, Artificial Superintelligence Alliance, Chiang Mai University, SEA Ethereum Communities, Longevity researchers and biotech investors, such as Healthspan Capital and Aubrey de Grey. Additionally, members from DeSci Asia and DeSci Sino communities, artists exploring the intersection of web3 and DeSci, Green Pill Network, EF PSE, Lunco, Hetu Protocol, Paramita VC members, 0x499, H.E.R. DAO, DeSci Latam, DeSci.world, IXO Protocol, among others, were present.
As I mentioned, I participated by spreading AuraSci and MesoReefDAO perspectives in a panel discussion and a talk exploring zk technology in DeSci for builders at Invisible Garden. I also spoke at DeSci Day at Mu Chiang Mai and ShanhaiWoo 山海坞. Additionally, I gave a talk at Seapunks, where I learned more about the essence of web3 use cases in Southeast Asia. I also shared some thoughts regarding the importance of leveraging citizen science in community-based programs across the region that directly depend on biodiversity, ecosystems, and goods and services. I visited several events at Edge City Lanna, MetaZu, and Funding the Commons Residence during their showcase of projects and participated on a pitch program at DeSci Bangkok among other side DeSci and web3 events, I was a MC on a 0x499 event called: THE SCALING DeAI Summit.
During Devcon
I participated on the Devcon days on the first DeSci Hub ever in all days as a backup and support, specially on the third (heart) and four (soul) day. Attended many talks regarding DeSci, Ethereum Core Protocol Infra, Regenerative Finance, Real World Use Cases, Public Goods talks, L2s, and visited the Regen Hub and meet for the first time Andrew the editor of Week in Ethereum News a newsletter that I translated for spanish speakers since ~2 years.
After Devcon
I just decided to apply for Eth Global Bangkok. However, many people do not want to or do not comprehend DeSci initiatives at all, and they do not see a market for products that genuinely create impact, at least for many developers I have met. I participated in Eth Global México in 2022 with a similar idea, which reminded me of those days. We need to create a new wave of DeSci builders or even establish a dedicated DeSci track in every ETH Global Hackathon. After many people came and went from our team, I mentored teams and provided unofficial advice on the projects they were building. For us, it felt more like an ideathon. Although I did not want to participate, Henriette, a Devcon Scholar, encouraged me to submit the idea that we create. For me, it was an exploration in search of partners and synergies for AuraSci and core developers of MesoReefDAO.
I just paid for a liveaboard to the Similan Islands using some personal savings for a few days with KSA Liveaboard Manta Queen Crew 7. I made new friends and raised awareness of MesoReefDAO within local stakeholders and communities like Care for Coral, an initiative run by young Thai entrepreneurs (Pleng and Pyn). Sadly, they were studying, and the climate conditions were not favorable for visiting some Global Reef activations near Phuket. Nevertheless, we will definitely create synergies and onboard them into the web3 space asap.
So I am just finishing writing this entry on November 30th. My trip is about to end, and I will be in the Yucatán Peninsula by December 1st for some activations related to MesoReefDAO during Reef Futures 2024. I have the opportunity to be part of the team and volunteer as a "tech guy" during the plenary sessions. We will host a light talk and a workshop on DeSci and Web3 tools, highlighting exciting developments to share with traditional scientists and stakeholders involved in coral reef restoration programs worldwide.
Concluding Remarks
I just spoke with someone from the Ethereum Foundation in Chiang Mai about how DeSci remains quite underrated in low- to mid-income OECD countries. Historically, we’ve observed similar patterns in technology adoption, and I believe DeSci will eventually help mitigate some of these issues. However, I’ve also noticed certain attitudes within the DeSci and Web3 communities that hinder progress, particularly regarding the identification of grifters, scammers, and grant farmers—issues especially prevalent among some colleagues from Latin America.
This journey has been profoundly insightful in many ways. Coordination failures are evident and will likely persist, rooted in our historically anthropocentric perspective of the universe. As a species, we are evolutionarily constrained by socioeconomic and environmental pressures. While I’m unsure if blockchain and Web3 technologies alone can resolve these challenges, I remain optimistic about their potential.
I decided to be present before, during, and after Devcon as a personal and professional call to action—an urgent response to the global coral reef crisis. I aim to explore how tools from DeSci and Web3 can mitigate these challenges or, at the very least, offer alternative solutions. The initiatives I’m involved in are far from perfect, but I’m seeking genuine synergies with those who share an aligned ethos—people who can help intertwine the future of decentralized science with the pressing need for coral reef regeneration.
For me, this is more than a series of pop-up activations, a hackathon, or a conference. It’s a convergence of innovative minds committed to leveraging blockchain technology to tackle some of our planet's most urgent environmental challenges in the Anthropocene.
By connecting with like-minded individuals and organizations, we can foster collaborations that amplify our efforts to preserve coral reef ecosystems. These ecosystems are crucial not only for biodiversity but also for supporting local economies through goods and services, particularly in Southeast Asia and beyond. Every conversation I have, every idea I share, and every project I initiate has the potential to create ripples of positive change that extend far beyond our immediate communities.
Let us embrace this opportunity to utilize cutting-edge technologies and the innovative solutions offered by the Ethereum community. Together, we can raise awareness about the importance of coral reefs and inspire action toward sustainable, and eventually regenerative, development. By engaging in discussions, workshops, and collaborative projects, we can ensure that our collective efforts drive meaningful impact.
As I embark on this nearly two-month journey in Southeast Asia, let’s strive to be both inspired and inspiring. Together, we can ignite a new wave of DeSci builders dedicated to making a difference. By uniting our passions and expertise, we can create a brighter future for our oceans and the communities that depend on them. Let’s harness the power of blockchain to foster resilience, innovation, and sustainability in coral reef restoration and beyond. The time for action is now—let’s make it happen!
Only time will tell.
Special thanks to the Ethereum Foundation, Aya, Shaka, Vitalik, Skylar, the Devcon Team (including volunteers), the Devcon Scholars, the DeSci Community at Devcon, AuraSci Cores, Pop-up City experiments, and friends.
As MesoReefDAO, we have just created a POAP to commemorate our journey in SEA. You can mint it using this link.
💻⛓️🌊🌱🧬🪸🐠✨
