Are We Ready for the Quantum Era?
Monday, February 28th from 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Speakers: Michele Mosca and Sara Zafar Jafarzadeh
Quantum mechanics enables powerful new tools and capabilities. Despite the many anticipated positive applications, some of the tools would threaten the security of the digital tools and platforms upon which we increasingly rely, such as Internet of Things devices, e-commerce, e-Health and more. And some of the tools enable new methods for protecting privacy and the security of information and digital systems.
In this talk, we describe the risk posed by cryptographically-relevant quantum computers as well as how we can mitigate it. Moreover, we will explain why it is important to act now, even though cryptographically-relevant quantum computers are not yet available.
No prior knowledge of quantum mechanics or cryptography will be expected from the audience.
Click here to watch this recording on Youtube!
CPI, University of Waterloo
Michele Mosca is co-founder of the Institute for Quantum Computing at the University of Waterloo, a Professor in the Department of Combinatorics & Optimization of the Faculty of Mathematics, and a founding member of Waterloo's Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. He is co-founder and CEO of the quantum-safe cybersecurity company, evolutionQ, and co-founder of the quantum software and applications company, softwareQ. He serves as co-chair of the board of Quantum Industry Canada.
He started working in cryptography during his undergraduate studies and obtained his doctorate in Mathematics in 1999 from the University of Oxford on the topic of Quantum Computer Algorithms. His research interests include algorithms and software for quantum computers, and cryptographic tools designed to be safe against quantum technologies.
He co-founded the not-for-profit Quantum-Safe Canada, and the ETSI-IQC workshop series in quantum-safe cryptography and is globally recognized for his drive to help academia, industry and government prepare our cyber systems to be safe in an era with quantum computers.
Dr. Mosca’s awards and honours include 2010 Canada's Top 40 Under 40, Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2013), SJU Fr. Norm Choate Lifetime Achievement Award (2017), and a Knighthood (Cavaliere) in the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (2018).
Sara Zafar Jafarzadeh
CPI, University of Waterloo
Sara Zafar Jafarzadeh is a post-doctoral fellow at the department of Combinatorics & Optimization, University of Waterloo. She is also a member of the Institute for Quantum Computing. She earned her PhD in computer science from University of Montreal. During her PhD, she worked on “the art of post-truth in quantum cryptography” under the supervision of Prof. Gilles Brassard and co-supervision of Prof. Louis Salvail. Her current research interests include security, quantum cryptography and post-quantum cryptography.