Blockchain conference
Surrey Business School (SBS) and Surrey Academy for Blockchain and Metaverse Applications (SABMA) jointly hosted the successful three-day conference in August at the University of Surrey and the House of Parliament in London. The distinguished guests included the members of the House of Lords in the UK, leading professors from the US and UK, and multiple senior managers from Fortune 500 firms.
The second Operations and Supply Chain (OSCM) Blockchain International Conference (officially titled 'The 2nd OSCM Symposium on Blockchain Research: Digital Economy, Sustainability Innovation, and the Dialogue between Research and Industry') was successfully held at the University of Surrey and the House of Parliament on 5-7 August 2024.
This prestigious event, focused on blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, and the future of the metaverse, drew enthusiastic participation from experts, scholars, business leaders, and industry pioneers from around the globe. More than 100 academics, industry leaders and representatives from the House of Lords attended the conference.
The conference was jointly hosted by Surrey Business School (SBS) and Surrey Academy for Blockchain and Metaverse Applications (SAMBA) at the University of Surrey. Prof Yu Xiong, associate Vice-President (External Engagement), and Prof Guangzhi Shang, professor at Florida State University, serve as the conference president. Lord Taylor of Warwick, a member of the House of Lords in the Parliament of the UK, and Prof Iis Tussyadiah, the Dean of Surrey Business School (pictured), among other distinguished guests, delivered keynote speeches at the opening ceremony. Dr Senmao Xia, Senior Lecturer at SBS, the University of Surrey, presided over the conference.
Throughout the conference, more than 20 keynote speakers delivered speeches covering topics ranging from the innovative application of blockchain technology to emerging business models in the Web 3.0 era.
The main academic speakers included:
- Prof Suresh P. Sethi, a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Sciences
- Prof Jason Choi from the University of Liverpool
- Prof Meng Li, Department Editor of the Journal of Operations Management & Houston University.
Industry leaders included:
- Robby Yung, CEO of Animoca Brands
- Michael Harding, Business Development Manager at Superteam UK Solana
- Vikram Seth, Head of Blockchain and Web3 at Shell Group
- Nitin Datta, CEO of Smart X Group.
The above speakers shared their research results and industry achievements in related fields, which aroused widespread concern and heated discussion among experts and scholars attending the meeting.
Future Vision Forum
At the Future Vision Forum on 5 August, Daniel Ukasoanya, supply chain manager from Amazon, Dr Alexander Horowitz from EA Criterion, Kristina Hayhoe of LumilyLabs, and Souparna Giri of PWC, delivered keynote speeches for the Future Vision Forum.
The activity aims to gather industry leaders, innovators, and academic elites to jointly explore the integration of metauniverse and Web 3.0 in the context of the times and the possibility of future development in this frontier field.
Journal editors’ workshop
On 6 August, a journal editors' workshop was held. Global leading journal editors shared their insights on research and publications. The editors included Prof Meng Li, department editor of the Journal of Operations Management (UTD24, FT50, ABS4), Prof Stelvia Matos, co-editor-in-chief of Technovation (ABS3, CAS Top), Prof Suresh P. Sethi, senior editor of Production and Operations Management (UTD24, FT50, ABS4).
House of Lords meeting
As part of the conference, a senior panel meeting was held in the House of Lords in London on 7 August, where members of the Parliament, industry leaders, and academics discussed the latest trends in the applications and research of AI, blockchain, and metaverse.
The three-day conference attracted scholars and professionals of industry from universities and institutions such as the University of Birmingham, University of Southampton, Cardiff University, Coventry University, Tsinghua University, Peking University, Amazon, and Opendatabay, who actively participated in oral presentations and showcased their research findings.
The success of this conference provided participants with a rich and high-level academic experience, fostering meaningful exchanges of knowledge, deepening academic discourse, sparking innovative thinking, and collectively advancing the development of blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, and the metaverse.
