Kautz-Uible Cryptoeconomics Lab
The Kautz-Uible Cryptoeconomics Lab is a physical space where researchers, students, and companies can come together to collectively study the impact of blockchain technology and digital assets on the future economy.
The lab is housed in UC's state-of-the-art Digital Futures interdisciplinary research facility, located in the heart of the Cincinnati Innovation District. The Digital Futures building provides an innovative space for its community of experts to partner with government, industry, and the community to deliver reliable and lasting solutions to the real problems impacting people's lives.
Meet the Director
Michael Jones, PhD
Lab Director
Dr. Michael Jones is the Kautz-Uible Assistant Professor of Economics and Director of the Kautz-Uible Cryptoeconomics Lab at the University of Cincinnati. An expert in blockchain technology, Dr. Jones was instrumental in the creation of the lab and has served as its director since its establishment in Fall 2022.
Michael earned his PhD in economics from the University of Notre Dame. His research interests include: financial literacy, labor economics, and public economics. He has been published in Public Administration Review, Applied Economics Letters, Frontiers in Public Health, Economics of Education Review, the IZA Journal of Labor of Economics, and the Business Case Journal. Michael has also served on the Economic Advisory Group (EAG) for JobsOhio, the Ohio Economic Roundtable, and the Ohio Economic Experts Panel.
Passionate about innovation, he developed and teaches a hands-on course where students gain experience in managing a cryptocurrency fund owned by the Institute and co-founded TapIn, a startup company that is building a loyalty platform to increase student retention and donor engagement.
Lab Activities
Academic Research
Drawing on financial support from UC and corporate sponsorships, researchers and students collaborate to publish academic research on topics including the relationship between measures of trust and cryptocurrency adoption, the effect of cryptocurrency mining on energy markets, and the role of ethical frameworks in decentralized decision-making.
Digital Asset Management
With research analysis provided by UC’s Cryptocurrency Club, the lab manages investments in two funds: the Kautz-Uible Cryptocurrency Fund, held in trust by a qualified custodian, and the Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Fund, a self-custodied wallet holding high-growth digital assets. Custom mining rigs and validation nodes generate cryptocurrency income for the DeFi Fund.
Education
Faculty affiliated with the lab provide executive education and on-site workshops for corporate partners.
The lab also provides workspaces for students pursuing the university's Certificate in Blockchain Technology.
NFT Media Lab
In partnership with the School of Art, UC students are employed to create artwork for non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Smart contracts are programmed to distribute royalty earnings to the original artist and sponsoring organization.