Immmutable (March 2023 to Present): Head of Blockchain Research

Immutable is creating a world leading web3 gaming platform based on the Immutable zkEVM. As Head of Blockchain Research I have worked across five main areas:

Blockchain Strategy: Working at the leading edge of blockchain development has meant that there have been many challenges and changes. I have guided the engineering team through these evolving complexities, providing strategic guidance on blockchain client selection, consensus protocols, zero knowledge proof systems, staking systems, and DeFi protocols.

zkEVM and zkVM Research: I worked with Polygon Labs and other zero knowledge R&D organisations on zero knowledge systems architectures. I developed a set contracts known as Prover Killing Contracts that stress test zkEVM provers.

Bridge System Design: I designed and implemented the prototype bridging system, including the flow rate detection system. This system is important as it prevents the exfiltration of large quantities of funds in single transactions. I convinced executive management of the importance of the system, and handed the work over to the engineering team who have ultimately delivered the production version of this work.

Smart Contract Wallet Security: I analysed the Smart Contract Wallet system that was used as a starting point for the Immutable Passport wallet system. I determined multiple security and cost improvements which were implemented by engineering teams.

Web3 Development Process, Contracts Repo, and Smart Contract Auditing: I introduced development processes for smart contracts and associated off-chain systems including key management and vulnerability response planning. I drove improvements to the Smart Contracts GitHub repository. I instigated multiple process improvements with smart contract auditing. I audited a multitude of contracts, the result of which was the detection of critical security issues prior to contract deployment.

Uniswap Foundation (Feburary to March 2023): Advisor / Consultant

I have advised on Uniswap’s Cross-Chain Bridge Assessment Process.

ConsenSys (July 2017 to January 2023): Technical Directory & Applied Cryptographer

ConsenSys is a software development and research company driving the Ethereum ecosystem forwards. I have worked in three main areas at ConsenSys:

Co-founding of Protocols business unit (PegaSys): During 2017 and early-2018 my focus was hiring a team, building culture, establishing processes and creating a world class research & development group.

Crosschain & Bridges: From 2018 onwards, I have mainly researched a range of protocols that facilitate cross-blockchain communications. I invented the following protocols:

  • General Purpose Atomic Crosschain Transactions (GPACT): Enables composable programming across blockchains. Allows for inter-contract and inter-blockchain function calls that are both synchronous and atomic: if one part fails, the whole call execution tree of function calls is rolled back.
  • Crosschain Protocol Stack: Describes how applications, function call, and messaging components can interoperate.
  • Anonymous State Pinning: State pinning approach that preserved privacy of pinned chain.
  • Atomic Crosschain Transactions: Provides similar capabilities to GPACT. However, requires changes to blockchain clients to operate.

Filecoin Secondary Retrieval Market: In late 2020 and the first half of 2021 I worked with Protocol Labs to determine requirements, architect, and lead a team that delivered a system to allow for massive scaling of the data retrieval system in Filecoin. The architecture for the system is described here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NUfUHRbCFs.

Other Projects: In addition to the large projects described above I also did the following smaller projects:

  • Stateless Ethereum: Researched how Ethereum could be made stateless. My focus area was Code Merklization.
  • Ethereum Private Sidechains: In 2018 I created a technology that allowed on-demand ephemeral, permissioned, private, confidential, dynamic blockchains. Many aspects of this research have become part of Hyperledger Besu’s Privacy Group feature.
  • Scaling Ethereum and Rollups: I described in 2017 and 2018 how many blockchains could operated in parallel with Ethereum, leveraging the security of Ethereum MainNet, thus scaling Ethereum.
  • Cryptographic consulting: I advised teams across ConsenSys, including the MetaMask team, about cryptography and security.

Ethereum Engineering Group Meet-up (December 2017 to Present): Organiser & Speaker

The Ethereum Engineering Group Meet-up is a group that meets via Zoom each week or two. We have speakers from all over the world who deliver talks on Solidity, the Ethereum platform, cryptography, crosschain & bridges, applications, law, social aspects of blockchain, and much more. All talks are recorded and appear on YouTube. Talks commonly have hundreds to thousands of views, with the most viewed talk currently having 50K views. I am the driving force behind the group, and have personally delivered more than a dozen talks. For more information see my meetup project page.

Digital Finance Cooperative Research Centre (July 2022 – April 2023): Advisor

I provide advice to Digital Finance Cooperative Research Centre (DFCRC) on crosschain protocols and Solidity contracts.

Multiple Projects (2016 - Present): Advisor

I am an advisor on multiple projects. I give guidance and am a sounding board for ideas on varied topics including: DeFi, crosschain, blockchain, cryptography, protocol design, development process, leadership, management, and recruitment. The projects range in maturity, though most are early stage / stealth.

Smart Contract Application Browser Open Source Project (May to August 2017), Founder

The Smart Contract Application Browser (SCAB) aimed to be a browser and app store for the Blockchain / Smart Contract era. The goals of the project are to solve the user interface and key management problems which are impeding the adoption of Smart Contracts. In the first instance, the project targeted the Ethereum blockchain platform and Android.

A Smart Contract Application, also known as a Decentralized Application (Dapp), combines code on a blockchain (smart contract), client side code and GUI, and cryptographic keys used to identify the parties involved in the contract.

The SCAB is an application which runs on an end point such as a mobile phone, tablet or computer. The Dapp GUI and client side code runs in a sandbox in the SCAB, in a similar way to how HTML and Javascript run in a sandbox in a web browser. Similarly to how web browsers can display content from many websites, the SCAB can display the GUI of many contracts.

The keys used to identify the user sit outside of the sandbox. When the SCAB interprets code in the Dapp client side code which executes a funciton call on the smart contract, the SCAB creates a blockchain transaction for the smart contract call and uses the user’s key to sign the transaction.

The SCAB project only progressed to early stages of development. The goals of the SCAB were:

  • Simpler Dapp authoring and deployment process.
  • Limit Dapp access to keys.
  • Abstract complex security issues such as key sharing between devices away from general application developers.
  • Cross-blockchain platform: Ethereum (initial support), Hyperledger Fabric.
  • Cross-device platform: Android(initial support), iOS, Web Browser, Windows, Mac, Linux.

The project is available on Github: https://github.com/nelladragon/scab

Oracle Labs (January to May 2017): Senior Development Manager

Oracle Labs is the research arm for Oracle, focusing on applied research that produces new technologies of interest to Oracle. Oracle Labs, Australia, focuses on Program Analysis as it applies to a variety of domains including bug-checking, security analysis, enhancing productivity, and testing. I managed the Advanced Development Engineering team of the Program Analysis group. This team in combination with researchers was responsible for researching and developing three projects, Wafer, Praline and Frappé. I mentored my staff and some junior managers not reporting to me, introduced new processes including a lightweight Scrum-based process and a performance management process, worked with teams to identify cross-product architectural issues, and had made significant progress towards getting all projects on track.

My departure from Oracle after less than five months was driven by a clash of leadership style. My preference for a collaborative approach did not match the expecations for a confrontational, adversarial approach.

Many other projects

When I get around to it, I will write up some of my earlier employment history.