The Power of Simulated Experiences in Technical Consulting; The Exploitation of Cryptocurrencies as Facilitators of Illegal Activities

The practical and societal impacts of computer science are far-reaching and constantly evolving. Through a simulated consulting internship with CapTech Ventures, I experienced the challenges and rewards of real-world technical consulting. My 12-person team served a mock airline client, Cap Air, applying the full Scrum methodology from start to finish. The hands-on nature of the project deepened my understanding of iterative development and collaborative problem-solving. We acquired technical skills in React, Spring Boot, and AWS, while also honing soft skills such as client communication, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and clean coding practices. The structured environment offered a realistic and comprehensive glimpse into a consulting career. In contrast, my research on cryptocurrency explored the unintended consequences of technological innovation. While decentralized currencies offer secure, peer-to-peer transactions, they are also susceptible to misuse due to their anonymity. Using the framework of latent and manifest functions and dysfunctions, I examined how cryptocurrencies, particularly privacy coins, have enabled illegal activities and challenged regulatory systems. Measures like Know Your Customer policies have been introduced to counteract anonymity, yet gaps remain that allow criminal exploitation. Though seemingly unrelated, both experiences highlight the societal power and responsibility embedded in computer science. Consulting requires responsible implementation of technology to solve complex problems, while cryptocurrency research reveals the ethical considerations of unregulated innovation. Together, these experiences reflect the dual nature of computer science: its potential to drive positive change and its vulnerability to misuse, emphasizing the need for thoughtful design, regulation, and application.