# Peter Shor > American professor of applied mathematics at MIT **Wikidata**: [Q370071](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q370071) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Shor) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/peter-shor ## Summary Peter Shor is an American mathematician and computer scientist who serves as a professor of applied mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He is best known as the inventor of Shor's algorithm, a groundbreaking quantum algorithm for integer factorization that fundamentally catalyzed the field of quantum computing. ## Biography - Born: August 14, 1959 in New York City, New York - Nationality: United States - Education: Tamalpais High School; California Institute of Technology; Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Known for: Shor's algorithm, CSS code, stabilizer code, quantum threshold theorem - Employer(s): Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Field(s): Computer Science, Mathematics - Doctoral Advisor: F. Thomson Leighton ## Contributions Peter Shor’s work defines the theoretical landscape of quantum information science. His most significant contribution is **Shor's algorithm**, published in 1994, which demonstrated that a quantum computer could theoretically factor large integers exponentially faster than the best-known classical algorithms. This discovery proved that quantum computers could break widely used encryption systems (such as RSA), thereby establishing the practical urgency of quantum computing research. Beyond factorization, Shor pioneered the field of quantum error correction. He developed the **CSS code** (Calderbank-Shor-Steane code) and the **stabilizer code**, methods designed to protect quantum information from decoherence and noise. These contributions are essential for the operation of fault-tolerant quantum computers. Additionally, his work on the **quantum threshold theorem** provided the mathematical proof that if error rates are kept below a certain limit, quantum computations can be sustained arbitrarily long. Shor also contributed to classical algorithms, co-developing the **SMAWK algorithm** for finding row minima in totally monotone matrices. ## FAQs ### Q: What is Peter Shor best known for? A: Peter Shor is best known for developing **Shor's algorithm** in 1994. This quantum algorithm solves the integer factorization problem efficiently, threatening the security of current public-key cryptography. ### Q: Where does Peter Shor work? A: Peter Shor is the Professor of Applied Mathematics at the **Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)**. ### Q: What is the quantum threshold theorem? A: The **quantum threshold theorem**, to which Shor contributed, states that if the error rate of quantum gates is below a certain threshold, it is possible to perform arbitrarily long quantum computations reliably using quantum error correction. ### Q: What awards has Peter Shor won? A: Peter Shor has received the **Gödel Prize** (1999), the **MacArthur Fellowship** (1999), the **King Faisal International Prize in Science** (2002), and the **ICTP Dirac Medal** (2017), among others. ## Why They Matter Peter Shor is arguably the most pivotal figure in the transition of quantum computing from a theoretical curiosity to a viable technological pursuit. Before his algorithm, quantum computing was largely a physics experiment with abstract possibilities. Shor’s integer factorization algorithm provided a concrete, "killer app" that proved quantum computers could outperform classical supercomputers on problems of immense economic and security importance. His work on error correction is equally critical; without the stabilizer codes and the quantum threshold theorem, the hardware necessary for quantum computing would likely be deemed impossible to build due to environmental noise. By solving the software and theoretical stability problems, Shor paved the way for the current global race to build scalable quantum hardware. ## Notable For - **Shor's Algorithm**: Proved quantum computers could break RSA encryption. - **Quantum Error Correction**: Invented the CSS code and stabilizer code. - **Awards**: Recipient of the Gödel Prize, MacArthur "Genius Grant", and Dirac Medal. - **Academic Lineage**: Earned PhD under F. Thomson Leighton; mentored 10+ doctoral students at MIT. - **Fellowships**: Fellow of the American Mathematical Society and the Association for Computing Machinery. ## Body ### Education and Academic Career Peter Williston Shor was born on August 14, 1959, in New York City. He completed his secondary education at **Tamalpais High School**. He pursued his undergraduate studies at the **California Institute of Technology** and obtained his doctorate from the **Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)**. His doctoral advisor was **F. Thomson Leighton**, a prominent mathematician and CEO of Akamai Technologies. Shor is currently a professor of applied mathematics at MIT. ### Research and Theoretical Contributions Shor’s research sits at the intersection of mathematics and computer science. - **Shor's Algorithm**: A quantum algorithm for integer factorization. It solves the problem in polynomial time, a massive improvement over the sub-exponential time required by classical algorithms like the General Number Field Sieve. - **Quantum Error Correction**: Shor introduced the concept of the **9-qubit code** (a specific stabilizer code) and the **CSS code**, proving that quantum information can be protected against noise. - **SMAWK Algorithm**: A classical algorithm for finding the minimum value in each row of an implicitly defined totally monotone matrix. ### Awards and Recognition Shor has received numerous accolades for his contributions to science: - **1998**: IMU Abacus Medal, O'Reilly Open Source Award, International Quantum Communication Award. - **1999**: Gödel Prize, Dickson Prize in Science, MacArthur Fellows Program. - **2002**: King Faisal International Prize in Science. - **2017**: ICTP Dirac Medal. - **2021**: Fellow of the American Mathematical Society. He holds memberships in the **National Academy of Sciences** and the **American Academy of Arts and Sciences**. ### Mentorship As a faculty member at MIT, Shor has supervised a significant number of doctoral students, including Alan Wing Leung, Mohsen Bahramgiri, Andrew Stephen Fletcher, Salman Beigi, Reina Riemann, Amanda Epping Redlich, Ramis Movassagh, Jesse T. Geneson, Dimiter Ostrev, and Joungkeun Lim. ## Schema Markup ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Shor", "givenName": "Peter", "familyName": "Shor", "jobTitle": "Professor of Applied Mathematics", "worksFor": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Massachusetts Institute of Technology" }, "nationality": { "@type": "Country", "name": "United States" }, "birthDate": "1959-08-14", "birthPlace": { "@type": "Place", "name": "New York City" }, "alumniOf": [ { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "California Institute of Technology" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "Massachusetts Institute of Technology" } ], "knowsAbout": [ "Computer Science", "Mathematics", "Quantum Computing", "Quantum Information Theory" ], "award": [ "Gödel Prize", "MacArthur Fellows Program", "King Faisal International Prize in Science", "ICTP Dirac Medal" ], "sameAs": [ "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2998192", "http://www-math.mit.edu/~shor/" ], "description": "American mathematician and computer scientist known for Shor's algorithm." } ## References 1. [Source](https://sigact.org/prizes/g%C3%B6del.html) 2. [Source](https://www.ictp.it/prize/dirac-medal) 3. [Source](http://www.ams.org/fellows_by_year.cgi?year=2022) 4. [Source](http://www.ams.org/news?news_id=6852) 5. [Source](https://www.ieee.org/content/dam/ieee-org/ieee/web/org/about/awards/recipients/sumner-rl.pdf) 6. [Source](https://www.acm.org/media-center/2019/december/fellows-2019) 7. Mathematics Genealogy Project 8. Virtual International Authority File 9. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013 10. [Source](http://www.nasonline.org/member-directory/living-member-list.html)