Building a solid mathematical foundation for the use of infinite groups in cryptography inevitably involves operating with various asymptotic and statistical aspects of infinite groups, and this is where modern group theory finds its important applications. We plan to invite specialists in group and number theory, computer science, and cryptography.

One of the goals of this one-week workshop will be to foster exchanges between mathematicians working on the theoretical end of cryptography, and the leading practitioners in government, finance, and industry, so that each community can be aware of the other's basic assumptions and priorities. Therefore we plan to invite several computer scientists and cryptographers whose research is focused on complexity of algorithms and/or cryptography based on (non-abelian) groups, having in mind "cross-fertilization", i.e., the exchange of ideas and methods between these areas and geometric and asymptotic group theory.

We are going to emphasize applications that concern complexity theory and information security, in particular, cryptography. The Aisenstadt Chair Angus MacIntyre will be giving his Aisenstadt Chair series of lectures during this workshop.

Mini-courses

Algorithmic group theory
R. Gilman (Stevens Institute of Technology) and A. Miasnikov (McGill)

Group-based cryptography
V. Shpilrain (CUNY) and A. Ushakov (Stevens Institute of Technology)