How One Stanford Course Helped Shape the Future of Decentralized Technology

When people hear the word “blockchain,” they often think of cryptocurrency or finance. But there’s much more to it. At Stanford University, Dr. Nicolas Kokkalis saw that potential early on. He created and taught CS359B: Decentralized Applications on Blockchain, a course that helped students understand how blockchain could be used to build systems that are secure, fair, and useful beyond money.

CS359B wasn’t just about theory. It focused on decentralization as a design principle. That means giving users more control, reducing reliance on central authorities, and building systems that work through shared trust. The course also explored how people interact with these systems, how design affects usability and how technology can be shaped by real human needs.

At the time, other universities were starting to look into blockchain, but CS359B stood out. It was one of the first courses in the world to treat decentralization as a practical challenge, not just a technical idea. It combined protocol design, user experience, and real-world applications in a way that was rare in academic settings.

This approach didn’t stay in the classroom. It helped inspire the development of Pi Network, a cryptocurrency project led by Dr. Kokkalis. Pi Network uses many of the same ideas: it’s built with feedback from users, it focuses on accessibility, and it aims to make blockchain useful for everyday people.

CS359B helped shift the conversation around blockchain. It showed that decentralization can be designed with people in mind, not just code. That makes it not only informative, but also forward-thinking and socially relevant.

Explore how Stanford’s CS359B course by Dr. Nicolas Kokkalis helped redefine blockchain with human-centered decentralization.

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