Hands-on learning is a cornerstone of academic growth, and this was also the focus of this year's Summer School crypt@b-it 2024. From August 26 to 30, early-career researchers gathered at Ruhr University Bochum's "Beckmanns Hof" to explore a range of topics in cryptography.
The event featured speakers Prof. Léo Ducas (Leiden University), Anca Nitulescu (Input Output Global, Paris), and Maximilian Gebhardt (German Federal Office for Information Security, BSI). It was organized by the Gesellschaft für Informatik (GI), Fachgruppe Kryptologie (FG Krypto), CASA, and the b-it (Bonn-Aachen International Center for Information Technology), in collaboration with the International Association for Cryptologic Research (IACR).
Speakers were able to learn something for themselves
The program began with Léo Ducas’ presentation, “Lattice Algorithms for Cryptography.” Reflecting on the event, Ducas shared, “I generally found the students to be engaged with the course; one burst of questions in particular cornered me into rethinking the definition at hand, and I felt I learned something myself.” Ducas believes that the format of the Summer School, with 2 courses over one week, is ideal for participating PhD students: “There is real focus on two topics. Most students probably came for either of them, but got both, expending their horizon at an age where PhD studies tend to be rather narrow.”
Another highlight of the week was Anca Nitulescu’s talk on “Proving Computation and Storage: SNARKs and More,” which offered attendees valuable insights into this crucial area of cryptography.
Intensive Learning in Small Groups
Daily tutorials allowed participants to dive deeper into specific issues in small groups, applying concepts from the lectures. This encouraged interdisciplinary connections and fresh perspectives, enriching the collaborative learning experience.
Refreshing Breaks from Campus
A city tour through Bochum on Tuesday offered a welcome break, allowing participants to connect in a more casual setting. An evening spent at Bermuda3Eck also provided a relaxed atmosphere for networking and continued discussions.
About the CASA Summer Schools
The CASA Summer School is an annual event that offers young researchers interesting lectures by high-ranking speakers and the opportunity for international exchange. More information can be found on this website.
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.