Ebook: Random Curves: Journeys of a Mathematician
Author: Neal Koblitz (auth.)
- Tags: History of Mathematics, Number Theory, Data Encryption, Data Structures Cryptology and Information Theory
- Year: 2008
- Publisher: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
- Edition: 1
- Language: English
- pdf
These autobiographical memoirs of Neal Koblitz, coinventor of one of the two most popular forms of encryption and digital signature, cover many topics besides his own personal career in mathematics and cryptography - travels to the Soviet Union, Latin America, Vietnam and elsewhere, political activism, and academic controversies relating to math education, the C. P. Snow two-culture problem, and mistreatment of women in academia.
The stories speak for themselves and reflect the experiences of a student and later a scientist caught up in the tumultuous events of his generation.
Neal Koblitz is a co-inventor of one of the two most popular forms of encryption and digital signature, and his autobiographical memoirs are collected in this volume. Besides his own personal career in mathematics and cryptography, Koblitz details his travels to the Soviet Union, Latin America, Vietnam and elsewhere; political activism; and academic controversies relating to math education, the C. P. Snow "two-culture" problem, and mistreatment of women in academia. These engaging stories fully capture the experiences of a student and later a scientist caught up in the tumultuous events of his generation.
Neal Koblitz is a co-inventor of one of the two most popular forms of encryption and digital signature, and his autobiographical memoirs are collected in this volume. Besides his own personal career in mathematics and cryptography, Koblitz details his travels to the Soviet Union, Latin America, Vietnam and elsewhere; political activism; and academic controversies relating to math education, the C. P. Snow "two-culture" problem, and mistreatment of women in academia. These engaging stories fully capture the experiences of a student and later a scientist caught up in the tumultuous events of his generation.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-IX
Early Years....Pages 1-8
Harvard....Pages 9-19
SDS....Pages 21-46
The Army....Pages 47-62
Spring of 1972....Pages 63-83
Academics....Pages 85-94
The Soviet Union....Pages 95-122
Racism and Apartheid....Pages 123-162
Vietnam Part I....Pages 163-193
Vietnam Part II....Pages 195-225
Nicaragua and Cuba....Pages 227-252
El Salvador and Peru....Pages 253-276
Two Cultures....Pages 277-296
Cryptography....Pages 297-329
Education....Pages 331-352
Arizona....Pages 353-374
Back Matter....Pages 375-392
Neal Koblitz is a co-inventor of one of the two most popular forms of encryption and digital signature, and his autobiographical memoirs are collected in this volume. Besides his own personal career in mathematics and cryptography, Koblitz details his travels to the Soviet Union, Latin America, Vietnam and elsewhere; political activism; and academic controversies relating to math education, the C. P. Snow "two-culture" problem, and mistreatment of women in academia. These engaging stories fully capture the experiences of a student and later a scientist caught up in the tumultuous events of his generation.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-IX
Early Years....Pages 1-8
Harvard....Pages 9-19
SDS....Pages 21-46
The Army....Pages 47-62
Spring of 1972....Pages 63-83
Academics....Pages 85-94
The Soviet Union....Pages 95-122
Racism and Apartheid....Pages 123-162
Vietnam Part I....Pages 163-193
Vietnam Part II....Pages 195-225
Nicaragua and Cuba....Pages 227-252
El Salvador and Peru....Pages 253-276
Two Cultures....Pages 277-296
Cryptography....Pages 297-329
Education....Pages 331-352
Arizona....Pages 353-374
Back Matter....Pages 375-392
....