New technologies a challenge even for mathematicians

Wed Sep 28 2016 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

New technologies a challenge even for mathematicians

28 September 2016

From computing pioneer and code breaker Alan Turing to former global surveillance whistle-blower Edward Snowden, mathematics has been essential to the development of computing and online security.

Professor of Mathematics at the University of Auckland, Steven Galbraith, has seen his work in number theory, an area of research he has studied for more than twenty years, become ever-more relevant as the basis of one of the most critical aspects of modern computing – cryptography.

Cryptography allows information to be encrypted as it is transmitted from a computer or mobile device so that online transactions such as banking are kept secure.

But now quantum computers, predicted for at least 20 years, may be about to become a reality, ushering in not only a new era in computing but a new era for some mathematicians.

Professor Galbraith’s research in elliptic curve cryptography over more than 20 years may be about to come to a natural end as quantum computing takes over. He is already advising students wanting to do postdoctoral work under his supervision that they might like to choose another topic.

“For all scientists, not just mathematicians, I think it’s important that we focus our efforts in areas that are relevant,” he says.

“Relevance in maths is constantly changing so that theorems that were proved hundreds of years ago are becoming newly relevant as new technologies develop but other areas of maths are becoming less relevant.

“So there is a sense that the winds of change are blowing but there are so many new things to learn that I’m happy to move with the times.”

In his inaugural lecture, which is free and open to the public, Professor Galbraith discusses the Diophantine equation and how they led Alan Turing to formalise his notion of computing before computing as we know it had been invented. The lecture assumes only high school mathematics.

The lecture will be held at 5.30pm on Tuesday, 4 October in Lecture Theatre MLT1, Ground Floor of Building 303 at 38 Princes St, Auckland.

For more information contact

Anne Beston
Media Relations Adviser
Communications
University of Auckland

Email: a.beston@auckland.ac.nz Tel: +64 9 923 3258
Mobile: + 64 (0) 21 970 089