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Kristin Lauter facts for kids

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Kristin Estella Lauter
KristinELauter2019.jpg
Kristin Lauter in 2019
Born (1969-12-08) December 8, 1969 (age 55)
Nationality American
Alma mater University of Chicago
Known for Elliptic curve cryptography
Awards
Scientific career
Fields Mathematics, Cryptography
Institutions
  • Microsoft Research
  • Facebook AI Research
Thesis Ray class field constructions of curves over finite fields with many rational points (1996)
Doctoral advisor Niels Ovesen Nygaard

Kristin Estella Lauter, born in 1969, is an American mathematician. She is also a cryptographer. This means she studies how to keep information secret and secure. Her work focuses on using advanced math, like number theory and algebraic geometry, to create strong codes.

She is especially known for her work with elliptic curve cryptography. This is a special way to protect digital information. From 1999 to 2021, she worked at Microsoft Research. There, she led the Cryptography Group. Her team created a tool called Microsoft SEAL. In April 2021, Dr. Lauter joined Facebook AI Research (FAIR). She became the West Coast Head of Research Science. She also served as the President of the Association for Women in Mathematics from 2015 to 2017.

Kristin Lauter's Education and Career

Kristin Lauter studied mathematics at the University of Chicago. She earned three degrees there. She received her first degree in 1990. She then earned her master's degree in 1991. Finally, she completed her Ph.D. in 1996.

Early Career Steps

Before joining Microsoft, Dr. Lauter worked in different places. She was a visiting scholar in Germany in 1997. She also taught at the University of Michigan from 1996 to 1999. In 1999, she was a visiting researcher in France.

Working at Microsoft

In 1999, Dr. Lauter started her research at Microsoft. She focused on cryptography. She helped create new ways to encrypt data. She also researched "post-quantum systems." These are new types of encryption designed to be safe from future quantum computers. She also worked to find weaknesses in existing encryption methods.

In 2005, she helped develop a new cryptographic method. This method used special math called "supersingular isogeny graphs." She even created a hash function from it. She presented this work in a competition held by NIST.

Homomorphic Encryption and AI

Dr. Lauter is also famous for her work in homomorphic encryption. This is a special type of encryption. It allows people to do calculations on encrypted data. This means the data stays secret even while it's being used. This technology is very useful. It helps with machine learning and private AI. It also helps protect sensitive information. For example, it can keep genomic data private. She has also worked on keeping data safe in the cloud. She has taught many people about homomorphic encryption.

Leading Research at Facebook AI

In April 2021, Dr. Lauter moved to Facebook AI Research. She became the West Coast Head of Research Science. In this role, she leads research teams. These teams work on many exciting areas. This includes core machine learning, computer vision, and robotics. They also work on natural language processing.

Helping the Math Community

Dr. Lauter has done a lot to help other mathematicians. She co-founded the Women in Numbers Network. This group helps women in number theory work together. Their first conference was in 2008. Since then, the group has published many research papers.

She has also served on important boards. These include the Banff International Research Station and the American Mathematical Society. She was the president of the Association for Women in Mathematics from 2015 to 2017. From 2018 to 2022, she served on the board of trustees for the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI).

Awards and Honors

Dr. Lauter has received many awards for her work.

  • In 2008, she won the Selfridge Prize. She won it with her coauthors. This was for their paper on "Computing Hilbert Class Polynomials."
  • In 2015, she became a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society. This honor recognized her contributions to math and cryptography. It also recognized her service to the math community.
  • In 2017, she was chosen as a Fellow of the Association for Women in Mathematics. She was part of the very first group to receive this honor.
  • From 2018 to 2020, she was a Pólya Lecturer for the Mathematical Association of America. This means she gave special talks about math.
  • In 2020, she became a Fellow of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM). This was for her work in practical cryptography. It also recognized her leadership in the math community.
  • Also in 2020, she was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
  • In 2021, she became an honorary member of the Royal Spanish Mathematical Society. This is Spain's oldest math society.
  • In 2022, she was chosen as the SIAM Block Community Lecturer.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Kristin Lauter para niños

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