Ethereum Foundation loses 2 researchers as exits grow

The Ethereum Foundation is facing fresh departures after researchers Carl Beek and Julian Ma said they are leaving the organization.

Carl Beek announced on X that he will leave the Ethereum Foundation, with his final day set for May 29. Beek spent seven years at the organization and worked on core Ethereum research, including the Beacon Chain.

In his post, Beek thanked Ethereum researchers, core developers, EF staff, and community members. He wrote, “To every researcher, core dev, EFer, and community member, whether we worked together closely or not: thank you.” He also said Ethereum’s strength remains with the people building it.

Julian Ma also announced his exit on X after about four years at the Ethereum Foundation. His work covered mechanism design, cryptoeconomics, and protocol scaling.

Ma pointed to FOCIL, also known as EIP-7805, and the Fast Confirmation Rule as work he was proud of. He said the Fast Confirmation Rule reduced bridging time between Ethereum Layer 2s and the mainnet to 13 seconds.

Carl Beek leaves after Beacon Chain work

Beek is closely linked to Ethereum’s proof-of-stake transition. His work on the Beacon Chain formed part of the research base behind Ethereum’s shift away from proof-of-work.

He did not announce a new role in the post. Beek said he and his wife recently welcomed a child, and he plans to take time with his family before deciding his next move.

His exit adds to several public departures from the Ethereum Foundation this year. It also comes during a period when Ethereum developers are working through major protocol updates and internal team changes.

The timing puts more attention on how the foundation keeps research work moving as experienced staff leave. Ethereum still depends on a wide group of independent developers, client teams, and researchers, not only the foundation.

Julian Ma exits after FOCIL and scaling work

Ma said his Ethereum Foundation work included FOCIL, a proposal aimed at improving censorship resistance. The idea centers on inclusion lists, which can help make it harder for block builders or validators to leave out transactions.

He also cited work on faster confirmations between Ethereum Layer 2s and the mainnet. Faster confirmations can improve user experience by cutting delays when users move assets or messages across Ethereum-linked systems.

Ma’s resignation follows other changes tied to the Protocol Cluster. Barnabé Monnot also posted about his transition, while Tim Beiko is moving on from the foundation and Alex Stokes is taking a sabbatical.

The Ethereum Foundation confirmed the broader Protocol Cluster changes in a May 11 update. The foundation said Barnabé Monnot and Tim Beiko are moving on soon, while Alex Stokes will go on sabbatical.

Ethereum roadmap work remains in focus

The Protocol Cluster transition comes as Ethereum continues work on Glamsterdam, Hegotá, FOCIL, and the wider scaling roadmap. The official update named Will Corcoran, Kev Wedderburn, and Fredrik as new Protocol Cluster leads.

Earlier crypto.news coverage reported that Glamsterdam’s devnet is live, while FOCIL, Verkle Trees, and account-abstraction upgrades have moved into the Hegotá roadmap. The same report noted that leadership changes are now part of Ethereum’s 2026 roadmap backdrop.

The departures do not stop Ethereum’s roadmap. They do, however, place the new Protocol Cluster leads under closer watch as the foundation manages staff changes and technical deadlines.