An Oral History Interview with Daniel J. Bernstein

Abstract

This oral history interview is sponsored by NSF 2202484, “Mining a Usable Past: Perspectives, Paradoxes, and Possibilities with Security and Privacy,” at the Charles Babbage Institute, University of Minnesota. The interview is with Daniel J. Bernstein, Professor of Computer Science at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Bernstein reflects on his early life in New York, his formative exposure to mathematics and computer science, and his long-standing interest in cryptographic security. He discusses his work in algorithm design, the development of crypto-graphic tools, and his legal challenge to U.S. export controls on encryption. The interview explores his views on academic freedom, adversarial design, and the relationship between crypto-graphic practice and public interest.