I am passionate about mathematics, cryptography, and the social value they generate. Several educational, scientific, and engineering roles gave and give me the opportunity to put this passion into practice. From university lecturer on the mathematical foundations of cryptography, to (post-)doctoral researcher in symmetric cryptography and, most recently, cryptography engineer in the area of decentralized privacy-preserving technologies.
Cryptography protects the integrity and confidentiality of our digital data. This data might represent sensitive private documents, confidential digital communication, or financial assets. More generally, any storage, transfer, or use of digital assets. Fundamentally, cryptography uses (the language of) mathematics to achieve its tasks and, thus, brings mathematics to the intersection of information security and privacy.
In this capacity as a technical safeguard, cryptography also strengthens our integrity as individuals, society, and economic community. I argue that the net benefit of (properly designed and implemented) cryptographic technology provides a substantial social and economic good.
2024
After my PhD graduation and subsequent work as post-doctoral cryptography researcher in the Cryptology & Privacy group at ISEC, I ventured to traverse the Andean mountains by bicycle. From Chile to Colombia.
2019 - 2023
In 2019, I started my doctoral research in the Cryptology & Privacy group at ISEC. Under the supervision of Christian Rechberger I researched symmetric cryptography, in particular, the design and analysis of arithmetization-friendly cryptographic primitives. I graduated with Highest Honors sub auspiciis praesidentis rei publicae as PhD in 2023.
As part of my doctoral research, I co-designed the following cryptographic primitives:
- Hades, the cryptographic permutation underlying the Poseidon hash function,
- the hash-function Reinforced Concrete, and
- the hash function Monolith.
For a detailed list of my peer-reviewed scientific publications, please see the Digital Bibliography and Library Project, a standard reference and tracker for publications in the field of computer science.
2017 - 2019
I graduated with Highest Honors as MSc in Mathematics from Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg in 2017. Right after, I joined the Institute for Information Security (ISEC) at Graz University of Technology where I worked on the implementation of cryptographic algorithms until 2019.
As proof of personhood, I hereby certify that I am a unique human being.
