Secrets and Promises: A Course on Cryptography for Nonmajors

这个项目建议设计和教授一门关于密码协议及其分支的现代技术的课程。该课程将向没有特殊数学背景或天赋的学生开放。这门课程的主要目标是让学生接触到数学和理论计算机科学的基本概念，使用密码学作为工具。第二个目标是让学生了解这个领域的背景，随着互联网使用的增加，以及随着我们的经济变得更加依赖信息贸易(包括软件、音频、视频和电影、营销数据等)，这个领域将变得越来越重要。最后，广泛使用密码学和数字签名的可能性突出了诸如隐私和执法之间的冲突等有争议的重要问题；该课程将为讨论这些问题提供一个论坛。该课程的目的是既能培养非理科专业的学生，又能吸引未来的理科专业学生。由于目前还没有教科书在非数学方向的学生可以理解的水平上阐述这一主题，这个项目将开发合适的课程材料。这类材料包括课程笔记和家庭作业。此外，PI将开发一种小型编程语言和可视化环境，在此环境中，即使是初学者程序员也可以开发和试验加密协议。作为课程的一部分，学生们将有“实验作业”，在其中他们将被引导通过这样的实验。PI将向其他大学类似课程的未来教师广泛提供课程材料、编程语言和环境以及实验作业。

This project proposes to design and teach a course on modern techniques for cryptographic protocols and their ramifications. The course would be accessible to students with no special mathematical background or talent. The primary goal of the course is to expose students to fundamental concepts in mathematics and theoretical computer science, using cryptography as a vehicle. A second goal is to give students a background in an area that will be increasingly important as use of the Internet grows and as our economy becomes more heavily based on trade in information (including software, audio, video and film, marketing data, etc.). Finally, the potential for widespread use of cryptography and digital signatures brings into focus such controversial and important issues as the conflict between privacy and law enforcement; the course would provide a forum for discussion of such issues. The intention is that the course would serve both to educate non-science majors and to attract prospective majors to the sciences. Because there is currently no textbook that addresses the subject at a level accessible to students that are not mathematically oriented, this project will develop suitable course materials. Such materials include course notes and homework assignments. In addition, the PI will develop a small programming language and visual environment in which even a novice programmer can develop and experiment with cryptographic protocols. As part of the course, students will have "lab assignments" in which they are led through such experimentation. The PI wil make the course materials, the programming language and environment, and the lab assignments widely available to prospective teachers of similar courses at other colleges.