Asha Rao facts for kids

Asha Rao is a super smart mathematician and an expert in keeping computers and information safe, which is called cybersecurity. She is currently a Professor and leads the Mathematical Sciences department at RMIT University in Australia.

Asha Rao's Journey in Math

Asha Rao earned her highest degree, a PhD, in a type of math called Algebra from the University of Pune. She started working at RMIT University as a teacher in 1992. She became a full Professor in 2016, which is a very high achievement!

Professor Rao teaches math and cybersecurity to university students. She also uses her math skills to solve real-world problems for different groups, including government organizations. She helped create a group called "Women In Mathematics." Her work to encourage girls and women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) has been recognized with an award called the RMIT STEM Athena Swan Award.

One of her main research areas is about the math behind quantum cryptography (super-secure coding), coding theory (how information is sent reliably), and managing risks. This means she uses advanced math to make sure information is safe and that rules, like those against money laundering, are followed.

Asha Rao has written more than 60 scientific papers and contributed to two academic books.

Sharing Her Knowledge

Asha Rao is not only a great researcher but also good at explaining important ideas to everyone. She has shared her knowledge about cybersecurity and the importance of math in big news publications like the Australian Financial Review and The Conversation.

For example, in 2014, she wrote for The Conversation about how signatures, PINs, and credit cards are used and how fraud can happen. She has also been a guest on many podcasts, talking about cybersecurity, math, and physics.

She has been interviewed by different groups like SAARI for National Science Week, Women’s Agenda, and ACEMS. She also shared her expert thoughts on cybercrime with ABC News.

In late 2020, she was the temporary leader of the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI) while also leading her department at RMIT. AMSI is a group of 14 Australian universities that works together to support math in Australia.

Encouraging Girls in STEM

Asha Rao cares a lot about helping girls and women succeed in science and math jobs. As the first leader of "Women in Maths," she has started many programs to help more women get involved in mathematical sciences in Australia. She continues to encourage young women to study math, talking about its importance in the news and on social media.

Awards and Recognition

Asha Rao has received many awards for her amazing work, including:

• 2021 Australia India Science, Research & Development Award
• 2021 Victorian Honour Roll of Women Trailblazer
• 2019 Superstars of STEM, Science and Technology Australia
• 2016 RMIT Media Stars Award