11. Workshop in Cryptography

The Department of Mathematics, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, will host a Workshop in Cryptography for high school students.

 

Date and time

Saturday, April 29, 2023, 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM

Format

Schedule (tentative)

8:30 AM Arrival and greeting

8:45 AM Introduction to Cryptography

    • What is Cryptography?
    • History of Cryptography
    • Types of Cryptography
    • Why is Cryptography Important?

9:30 AM Ciphers and Cryptanalysis – Part 1

10:55 AM Break

11:05 AM Ciphers and Cryptanalysis – Part 2

    • Simple Substitution Cipher (Monoalphabetic cipher) (improvement to the Caesar Cipher)
    • Simple Substitution Ciphers Student Activity.
    • Vigenere Cipher (Polyalphabetic Cipher)
    • Vigenere Cipher: Student Activity

12:15 PM Lunch

1:15 PM  Scavenger hunt across the campus using the Caesar cipher

        3:00 PM Closing Remarks

Lunch

Buffet Lunch will be provided from 12:15 PM  to 1:15 PM at our on-campus dining hall, the Grove. Please advise us of any dietary requirements (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, …) when you register (see “Registration” below).

Scavenger-hunt

Following lunch, there will be a scavenger hunt across campus using Caesar ciphers, which you have to crack. Cracking each cipher will lead you to a place on campus where you get yet another cipher to crack.

Registration

The Workshop in Cryptography is limited to 32 participants – first come, first served.

Please register by Friday, April 14, 2023

To register, please send an email to:

Dr. Adriano Marzullo: amarzullo@umassd.edu

Put “Workshop in Cryptography” in the subject line of your email.

Please  include:

  • your first and last name
  • your school
  • your year level
  • either your mathematics teacher’s name or a parent’s name
  • any dietary requirements (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, …)
  • names of any accompanying adults who want to stay during the Workshop
  • please also read the “Parking” information below, and include any relevant details in your email

 

Organizers

Dr. Adriano Marzullo, Assistant Teaching Professor, Department of Mathematics, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

Dr. Valeria D’Orazio, Associate Professor, Science and Mathematics, Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

Dr. Adam Hausknecht, Professor, Department of Mathematics, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

Dr. Sara Dalton-Bildik, Assistant Teaching Professor, Department of Mathematics, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

Place

LArts 218 (Mathematics Computer Lab)

Liberal Arts is Building A on the map below (click to enlarge). Room 218 is on level 2, south end of the building (the picture shows the north end of the building):

Parking

If someone is bringing you to the campus by car and needs to park on campus, we will need:

  • the name of the driver
  • the vehicle make
  • license plate number
Your driver will then be able park in parking lot 4.

As you enter the campus from Old Westport Rd, keep to the left, around the ring road, past Lot 1, and proceed to Lot 4.

 

Walk up the pathway from Lot 4 to the concrete steps at the end of the pathway:
Turn right at the top of the steps and enter the Liberal Arts building to your right.
Inside the Liberal Arts building, walk up the stairs to your left and turn left at the top of the stairs: room 218 is on your right: