The Hill We Must Die On: Cryptographers and Congress

Phil Rogaway recently reminded the cryptographic community that their work is inherently political, and as the "Encryption Debate" resurfaces, this reminder feels particularly important. Inspired to explicitly investigate the political aspects of cryptography, John Hopkins PhD student Gabe Kaptchuk spent a summer working within Congress in the personal office of Sen. Ron Wyden (D - OR). In light of his experience, he has started working on technical research about government encryption backdoors, attempting to find a way to cryptographically enforce accountability systems.

In this Cyber Alliance talk, Mr. Kaptchuk will reflect on the experience of being one of the only academic cryptographers to ever work in Congress, try to suggest ways the two communities can work together better, and share preliminary results of his and his colleagues’ new research direction, focusing on the social and policy implications of their work.

There will be time for casual conversation and light refreshments before and after the presentation. Please RSVP to tgabs@bu.edu.