Blockchain and Machine Learning Joint Meetup

Join us in our attempt to bring together the worlds of Blockchain and Machine Learning. Friday 25/05 - 19:00, at OK!Thess.

Agenda:
19.00: 'Introduction to Bitcoin and Blockchain', Thomas Sermpinis
20.00: 'Introduction to Machine Learning', Nikolaos Passalis
20.15: 'Bitcoin price prediction using Deep Learning Models', Avraam Tsantekidis

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'Introduction to Bitcoin and Blockchain', Thomas Sermpinis

Abstract: Bitcoin and especially blockchain technologies get more and more important each day, breaking the barrier of the cryptocurrency with the introduction of many new practical applications. In this presentation, we will discuss the fundamentals of blockchain technologies, using Bitcoin as our benchmark, and cover topics like transactions, nodes, consensus and other important aspects of these technologies.

Bio: Thomas Sermpinis is a security and blockchain engineer with a Masters Degree in Informatics and Management. He has worked as an instructor in the field of cyber security, covering a wide variety of topics. Also, he is deeply involved in the cyber security community, with a strong social media presence (security blog and popular YouTube channel). For the last year he is dedicated to blockchain technology and currently works as a blockchain research engineer in Aristotle University.

'Introduction to Machine Learning', Nikolaos Passalis

Abstract: You can attend the meetup regardless your background! Nikolaos Passalis will present and refresh the most important Machine Learning and Deep Learning concepts, along with some applications, in less than 15 minutes.

Bio: Nikolaos Passalis is a Ph.D. candidate and researcher in the Department of Informatics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He obtained his B.Sc. in Informatics in 2013 and his M.Sc. in Information Systems in 2015 from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. His research interests include deep learning, computational intelligence and information retrieval. His doctoral studies are supported by the General Secretariat for Research and Technology (GSRT) and the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (HFRI).

'Bitcoin price prediction using Deep Learning Models', Avraam Tsantekidis

Abstract: Lately Bitcoin has been receiving more and more attention, both as a technological achievement capable of allowing true ownership of ones' wealth, but also as a risky investment opportunity which has attracted a significant amount of capital. There are many faucets of Bitcoin and Blockchain technology upon which Machine Learning can be applied and yield practical results. In this presentation, the topic of Bitcoin price prediction using Deep Learning models, such Long-Short Term Memory (LSTM) networks, will be discussed. Several code examples using Python and Keras, backed by Tensorflow, will be presented, walking you through all the necessary steps to understand the basics of building a Machine Learning model and testing it on real financial data.

Bio: Avraam Tsantekidis is a Ph.D. candidate in the Artificial Intelligence & Information Analysis Laboratory of the Department of Informatics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He obtained his B.Sc. in Informatics in 2016 from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. His research interests include Deep Learning, Time Series and Financial Markets. During the first year of his Ph.D. he was employed by an Investment Fund to research and develop Deep Learning to support its financial activities.