Proofs, Knowledge, and Computation

We show how Theory of Computation has revolutionized our millenary notion of a proof, revealing its unexpected applications to our new digital world. In particular, we shall demonstrate how interaction can make proofs much easier to verify, dramatically limit the amount of knowledge released, and yield the most secure identification schemes to date.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of computer science at UC Berkeley and the university’s sesquicentennial, EECS and the Simons Institute are launching a special series of lectures by winners of the ACM A.M. Turing Award, considered the field’s equivalent of a Nobel Prize. In addition to their technical talk, the lecturers will reflect on their time at UC Berkeley and look toward the future of research and technological development in their fields.

Light refreshments will be served before the lecture at 3:30 p.m.