AU Math Club Presents Dr Alfred Menezes

Dr. Alfred Menezes, Professor and Chair of the Department of Combinatorics and Optimization
University of Waterloo, Canada

Title: “Elliptic Curve Cryptography” (45 minutes to 1 hour with a Q and A session to follow)
Abstract: Elliptic curves have a rich and beautiful history, having been studied by pure mathematicians for over one hundred years. More recently, they have been used to design mechanisms for ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of digital communications.

I will introduce the notion of an elliptic curve and illustrate how these mathematical objects have been used in cryptography.

I will also explain why the National Security Agency has chosen elliptic curves to protect both classified and unclassified U.S. government communications.

Bio: Dr. Menezes is a professor in the Department of Combinatorics and Optimization at the University of Waterloo, in Ontario, Canada, where he is also a founding member of the Centre for Applied Cryptographic Research. His research interests are in curve-based cryptography, key agreement protocols, provable security, and algorithmic number theory. He is co-author of the "Handbook of Applied Cryptography" and "Guide to Elliptic Curve Cryptography". He has consulted for several companies on projects involving cryptographic protocol design, security analysis, standardization, patent strategy, and patent litigation.