Frontiers in Quantum Cryptography: New Functionalities, Primitives, and Foundations (25w5445)

Organizers

Henry Yuen (Columbia University)

Zvika Brakerski (Weizmann Institute of Science)

Yael Kalai (Microsoft and MIT)

Description

The Banff International Research Station will host the “Frontiers in Quantum Cryptography: New Functionalities, Primitives, and Foundations” workshop in Banff from April 20 - 25, 2025.


The prospect of quantum computers being used to break cryptography is well-known, but they also hold great promise for unlocking new cryptographic possibilities -- some that has no equivalent in the classical world. The last decade has seen a flurry of activity in the realm of ``fully quantum cryptography,'' which is when users can exploit quantum mechanics to obtain primitives like unclonable computer programs, verify quantum computations, certify the deletion of information, and more. These exciting developments combine ideas from the frontiers of cryptography, complexity theory, pure mathematics, physics, and more.


In an upcoming workshop titled "Frontiers in Quantum Cryptography: New Functionalities, Primitives, and Foundations,'' BIRS will bring together computer scientists, cryptographers, physicists, and mathematicians to learn about the latest developments in this area -- and to discover deeper connections between quantum cryptography and their own respective fields.


The Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS) is a collaborative Canada-US-Mexico venture that provides an environment for creative interaction as well as the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and methods within the Mathematical Sciences, with related disciplines and with industry. The research station is located at The Banff Centre in Alberta and is supported by Canada’s Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), and Alberta’s Advanced Education and Technology.