Industry Insights Logo

Industry Insights is an invited guest series dedicated to connecting alumni and industry professionals with the UNT community. The collaboration between the College of Information, its departments (Data Science, Information Science, Learning Technologies, and Linguistics) and the UNT Career Center is designed to help students explore professions in their field of study. Each semester will feature guests who will focus on careers in one of our seven areas of study. 


Schedule - Spring 2026

Blockchain in Education: Verifiable Credentials and the European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI)

Speaker: Victor Holotescu 

  • March 17, 2025
  • 12:30-1:30pm
  • In-Person: Discovery Park, Room G150
  • Online: Register via Zoom

Abstract: Over the past two decades, technology has evolved at an accelerated pace, transforming and creating new learning ecosystems that support lifelong learning and respond to the growing demand for upskilling and reskilling. At the same time, increased mobility and the need to prove competencies and knowledge acquired in formal, informal, and non-formal settings have contributed to the demand for tamper-proof and easily verifiable credentialing solutions.
The United States was one of the pioneers in online credential issuance through Blockcerts, an open standard created at the MIT Media Lab, which introduced the hashing of documents and anchoring those hashes to the Bitcoin network in 2016, and later to Ethereum.
Many other solutions have since integrated blockchain technologies as a way to verify credential authenticity.
In this talk, we will present several solutions developed in Romania for credential issuance and reputation networks. We will also explore the European Union’s cross-border Diploma use-case through the European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI), which aims to make verifiable credentials the default standard. The session will examine how EBSI works, the steps required for adoption, integration with learning management systems, as well as current shortcomings and potential solutions.

Speaker Bio: Victor Holotescu is a PhD candidate at the University Politehnica Timișoara, specializing in blockchain applications in education, with a focus on verifiable credentials and decentralized identity frameworks. His research explores the integration of digital credentialing systems with institutional infrastructures and cross-border interoperability initiatives such as the European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI).
In parallel, he is a co-founder and administrator of Buidler Labs, where he works on decentralized protocols, AI-driven applications, developer-focused educational resources, and SaaS infrastructure, bridging academic research with applied system development.

 

Archive

Prioritizing What Truly Matters
Speaker: Michael Cupps, Author, Founder and Habit Architect of Time Bandit and Executive Vice President of Growth for North America at ActiveOps

  • March 6, 2025
  • 2:00-3:00pm
  • Discovery Park, Room E297L

Abstract: Explore the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say "no" to distractions or non-essential tasks to focus on meaningful pursuits.
Speaker Bio: "As a tech leader and cancer survivor, I understand the importance of time—and how to use it wisely. I help professionals and leaders cut through the noise, focus on priorities, and build habits that create lasting impact. With Time Bandit, I combine proven priority management strategies with habit formation to help you work smarter, not harder. I’ve coached businesses to improve productivity and unlock potential, whether through smarter planning or AI-powered insights for larger operations teams to unlock true potential and symmetry of resources (onshore, offshore or automations). My journey shaped my approach, and I’m passionate about helping others make the most of every minute."

Discussion on Generative AI
Speakers:

  • Mr. Prashanth Bhushan, AVP & IOT Thought Leader, previously, Asst Vice President for IOT at Cognizant
  • Mr. Soumyajit “Jit” Biswas, Senior Field Engineer, Informatica
  • Dr. Sharad Sharma, Associate Dean of Research, Professor, and Director of DVSR Lab and DSII Center for UNT's College of Information

  • April 30, 2025
  • 3:00-4:00pm

Join us for an engaging virtual panel discussion on the transformative power of Generative AI, where we bring together industry and academia to explore the latest advancements, challenges, and future trends in this groundbreaking field. This event is specially designed for students eager to dive deep into how generative models are reshaping industry and research.

The panel will cover a range of topics including:

  • The principles and architecture behind Generative AI models
  • Real-world applications
  • Ethical considerations and responsible AI development
  • The intersection of academia and industry in advancing AI technologies

This is an invaluable opportunity to hear firsthand insights from experts, ask questions, and understand how generative AI is influencing the next generation of innovation. Whether you're looking to deepen your knowledge of AI techniques or explore how to apply them in your future career, this panel discussion is one you won’t want to miss!