Secret Messages with Encryption
A continental breakfast will be available at 9:15; attendees must be seated by 9:30. RSVP here.
Talk Overview:
Imagine you are in history class when you suddenly remember needing to tell your friend across the room something top secret before the end of class. Since you aren’t allowed to use your phone during class, your only option is to write them a note and ask classmates to pass it to your friend. This makes you nervous, because if anyone else reads your note they would also learn your secret. Is there a way to write the note so that no one other than your friend learns your secret even if it is read by other classmates?
In this presentation you will learn how to use encryption to send secret messages so only those who the message is meant for are able to learn the secrets. Encryption is an important part of many things we do on the internet, from sending messages to shopping to banking, but it can also be broken! Come learn how to make sure that YOUR encryption is as uncrackable as possible.
Biography:
Dr. Aparna Das is the chair of the computer science and cybersecurity department at Le Moyne College where she has been teaching for the past 11 years. Her research interests include the design and analysis of algorithms, combinatorial optimization, and computational game theory. She views computer science as a field which requires creativity and technical precision and is eager to share both aspects of computer science with students. In her free time she enjoys running, cooking and hiking.
Next TACNY Junior Café Scientifique:
June 21, 2025, STEAM Challenge Accepted!