Temperatures above 30 degrees, lively discussions in and outside the seminar rooms, and a shared passion for cryptography and distributed systems: From June 22 to 25, the CASA Summer School 2026 welcomed early-career researchers from around the globe to Ruhr University Bochum. The summer school was organized by the CASA International Graduate School coordinators.
This year's summer school focused on Distributed Computing and Cryptography – a field that has become increasingly relevant in an era of blockchains, the Internet of Things and wide-scale networks. Over four days, participants explored topics ranging from consensus mechanisms, foundational cryptographic protocols like VSS and DKG, as well as Threshold Cryptography and Secure Multi-Party Computation (MPC). Speakers at the event included leading researchers such as Jonathan Katz (Google), Erica Blum (Reed College), Ittai Abraham (a16z Crypto Research), and Sophia Yakoubov (Aarhus University).
Social events and new ideas
What made the event special was not only the scientific program but also the intensive exchange between. During the lightning talks, the participants also provided insights into their current research projects. Discussions often continued long after the lectures had ended, turning coffee breaks and social events into opportunities for new ideas and collaborations.
“The topic is highly relevant to my own research in MPC and applied cryptography,” said Nina Schwanke from the Technical University of Munich. “What I particularly like is that the summer school focuses on a specific research area and brings together people who are actively working on these topics. The speakers are very engaged in discussions, and it creates a great atmosphere for exchanging ideas.”
One highlight of the week was an interactive exercise session based on a research paper. Participants worked together in groups, debating possible solutions and tackling challenging problems. “People really got their teeth into it,” said scientific chair and CASA PI Julian Loss. “The goal of the summer school was to introduce different topics and show how they connect. It has been great to see how much interest there is in the field and how willing people are to step outside their comfort zones and engage with neighboring research areas.”
The summer weather provided the perfect backdrop for the social program. Participants explored the UNESCO World Heritage Site Zollverein in Essen, discovered Bochum during a pub crawl, enjoyed a rooftop gathering hosted by VMRay and spent a warm summer evening at the traditional Summer School BBQ Dinner at Beckmanns Hof.
For many attendees, these informal moments became just as memorable as the lectures themselves. “Everything is very well organized, and the lectures are highly interesting,” said Postdoc Clément Ducros from CISPA. “The barbecue was probably my highlight. It was a great opportunity to talk to people, discuss research, and simply enjoy spending time together.”
The week concludes today with a game night organized by the HGI International Social Club, featuring pizza and drinks. As participants prepare to return to their universities and research groups, they leave Bochum with new perspectives, fresh ideas, and an expanded network of colleagues working on the future of secure distributed systems.
General note: In case of using gender-assigning attributes we include all those who consider themselves in this gender regardless of their own biological sex.