Math Encounters

Upcoming presentation

“From Caesar to Cyber: A Journey Through Cryptography”

Featuring Jim Kraft

Wednesday, November 5
Presentations at 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm

(in person)

How does “Attack at dawn” become “Buubdl bu ebxo”?  From Caesar’s shift cipher to the algorithms guarding your bank logins, codes span the trivial to the nearly unbreakable.  Mathematician Jim Kraft charts that journey, echoing Bruce Schneier’s line that there are “two kinds of cryptography in this world: cryptography that will stop your younger siblings from reading your files, and cryptography that will stop major governments from reading your files.”  Come see where history’s favorite secrets land on that spectrum, and why true secrecy is never simple.

Special introduction by Leon Tatevossian, Adjunct Professor (Quantitative Finance), NYU; Lecturer (Quantitative Finance), Columbia University.

Math Encounters is MoMath’s popular free public presentation series celebrating the spectacular world of mathematics.  This program is funded by Simons Foundation International and administered by the Simons Foundation’s Science, Society & Culture division.  For further information, call the National Museum of Mathematics at 212-542-0566 or email mathencounters@momath.org.

sponsor logos for Simons Foundation International and Simon's Foundation

Register to attend

 

Photography notice

By registering for a Math Encounters presentation, you acknowledge that you may be photographed or videotaped by Museum staff and associates and agree to abide by the MoMath General Policies for Events and Photograph Release.

Books by the speakers

We are happy to offer books edited or authored by Math Encounters speakers through our online shop.

Math Encounters available on YouTube and DVD

Math Encounters presentations are generally posted to our YouTube page within one to two months of filming.  Due to copyright issues, some presentations may not be reproduced on the internet.  Presentations posted online are also available for purchase via our online shop.  Click here to purchase yours today!

Math Encounters is MoMath’s popular free public presentation series celebrating the spectacular world of mathematics.  This program is funded by Simons Foundation International and administered by the Simons Foundation’s Science, Society & Culture division.

sponsor logos for Simons Foundation International and Simon's Foundation

Please note that all children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.