Program Overview
The Blocana Research Fellowship Program connects talented researchers with the resources, mentorship, and community they need to pursue groundbreaking work in blockchain technology, cryptography, and distributed systems.
Rather than dictating research directions, we support fellows in pursuing innovative ideas that align with our mission of building secure, scalable, and accessible blockchain infrastructure. Fellows retain intellectual freedom while benefiting from Blocana's resources and expertise.
Fellowship recipients join a global community of researchers spanning academia and industry, creating opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange that accelerate innovation in the blockchain space.
Program Highlights
Competitive Funding
Substantial financial support that allows researchers to focus fully on their work
Advanced Resources
Access to high-performance computing, proprietary datasets, and specialized tools
Research Community
Connection to a global network of researchers across academia and industry
Real-World Impact
Opportunity to see your research implemented in production blockchain systems
Fellowship Types
PhD Research Fellowship
Designed for doctoral students pursuing research in blockchain technology, cryptography, or distributed systems, this fellowship covers full tuition and provides a generous stipend for 3-4 years.
Benefits
- Full tuition coverage for your PhD program
- $60,000 annual stipend for living expenses
- Up to $15,000 in research-related travel funding
- Access to Blocana's computing resources and data
- Mentorship from Blocana research scientists
- Opportunity to publish with leading academic journals
Requirements
- Currently enrolled in a PhD program or accepted with an approved research proposal
- Research focus aligned with Blocana's priority areas
- Strong background in computer science, cryptography, mathematics, or related fields
- Demonstrated ability to conduct high-quality independent research
Postdoctoral Fellowship
For recent PhD graduates looking to further their research in blockchain technology while building connections in both academia and industry, our postdoctoral fellowship offers competitive compensation and research freedom.
Benefits
- $110,000 annual salary with benefits
- Additional $30,000 annual research budget
- Flexible work arrangement between Blocana labs and your institution
- Opportunities to attend and present at top conferences
- Collaboration with both academic and industry partners
- Pathway to permanent research positions at Blocana
Requirements
- PhD in computer science, cryptography, mathematics, or related fields received within the last 3 years
- Published research related to blockchain technology, distributed systems, or cryptography
- Strong programming skills and familiarity with blockchain implementations
- Ability to lead independent research while collaborating across teams
Industry Research Fellowship
Targeted at experienced industry professionals wanting to contribute to blockchain research while maintaining their industry perspective, this one-year fellowship enables you to make significant contributions to the field.
Benefits
- $130,000 annual salary with full benefits
- Flexible work arrangements to accommodate industry transitions
- Dedicated research budget and team resources
- Opportunities to publish and patent your research
- Connection to Blocana's global research network
- Potential for continued collaboration after fellowship period
Requirements
- Minimum 5 years of industry experience in relevant technical fields
- Demonstrated expertise in areas relevant to blockchain technology
- Strong track record of innovation and problem-solving
- Capacity to bridge theoretical research with practical implementation
- Commitment to open research and knowledge sharing
Visiting Researcher Program
A shorter-term opportunity for established academics and industry leaders to spend 3-6 months collaborating with Blocana's research team on specific projects or areas of mutual interest.
Benefits
- $10,000 monthly stipend during your stay
- Housing accommodations or housing allowance
- Travel expenses covered for you and immediate family
- Integration with Blocana's research team and resources
- Opportunity to co-author publications and research reports
- Flexibility to maintain existing academic or industry commitments
Requirements
- Current professor at an accredited university or senior researcher in industry
- Established research record in relevant fields
- Specific research proposal with clear objectives for the visit
- Willingness to participate in Blocana research community activities
- Commitment to knowledge sharing through seminars and mentorship
Priority Research Areas
While we welcome innovative research proposals across all areas of blockchain technology, the following areas are current priorities for Blocana research:
Post-Quantum Cryptography
Research focusing on cryptographic systems resistant to attacks by quantum computers, ensuring long-term security for blockchain networks.
Zero-Knowledge Proofs
Advancing privacy-preserving technologies through zero-knowledge proof systems that enable confidential transactions and secure verification.
Consensus Mechanisms
Innovating new consensus protocols that improve security, decentralization, and energy efficiency for blockchain networks.
Scalability Solutions
Developing layer-1 and layer-2 scaling approaches to increase throughput while maintaining security guarantees.
Formal Verification
Applying mathematical methods to prove the correctness of blockchain protocols and smart contracts before deployment.
Cross-Chain Interoperability
Creating secure protocols for communication and asset transfers between different blockchain systems.
Note: We also consider exceptional research proposals outside these areas that show potential for significant impact on blockchain technology.
Fellowship Success Stories
Dr. Sophia Chen
PhD Research Fellowship 2022-2025
Research Focus:
Lattice-Based Cryptography for Post-Quantum Blockchain Security
Impact:
Dr. Chen's research led to a 40% improvement in the efficiency of post-quantum signature schemes now implemented in the Blocana protocol.
Dr. Marcus Okoye
Postdoctoral Fellowship 2023-2024
Research Focus:
Efficient Zero-Knowledge Proofs for Privacy-Preserving Smart Contracts
Impact:
Developed a new ZK proof system that reduced verification costs by 65% while maintaining security guarantees.
Sarah Williams
Industry Research Fellowship 2024
Research Focus:
Practical Implementation of Threshold Signatures for Institutional Blockchain Security
Impact:
Created an industry-standard framework for secure multi-party key management now used by several major financial institutions.
Application Process
Our application process is designed to be thorough yet straightforward, focusing on your research potential and alignment with Blocana's mission. We review applications based on academic excellence, research innovation, and potential impact.
Application Requirements
- Completed application form with personal and academic information
- Detailed research proposal (3-5 pages) outlining objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes
- Current CV/resume highlighting relevant experience and publications
- Two letters of recommendation from academic or professional references
- Samples of previous research work, publications, or code repositories (if applicable)
Selection Process
- 1
Initial Application Review
All applications are reviewed by our research committee against program criteria
- 2
Research Proposal Evaluation
Shortlisted candidates have their research proposals evaluated by domain experts
- 3
Interview
Promising candidates are invited for a virtual interview with the research team
- 4
Final Selection
Fellowship recipients are selected and notified within 6-8 weeks of application deadline
For questions about the application process, please contact research@blocana.com