# Shafrira Goldwasser

> American computer scientist

**Wikidata**: [Q11609](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11609)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shafi_Goldwasser)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/shafrira-goldwasser

## Summary
Shafrira Goldwasser is an American-Israeli computer scientist and cryptographer known for foundational contributions to cryptography and complexity theory. She is a professor at MIT and the Weizmann Institute of Science, and was awarded the 2012 Turing Award for her transformative work in the field.

## Biography
- Born: November 14, 1958, in New York City
- Nationality: United States and Israel
- Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science from University of California, Berkeley (1984); B.S. from Carnegie Mellon University
- Known for: Pioneering work in cryptography, probabilistic encryption, and zero-knowledge proofs
- Employer(s): Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Weizmann Institute of Science
- Field(s): Computer science, cryptography, complexity theory

## Contributions
Shafrira Goldwasser has made groundbreaking contributions to cryptography and theoretical computer science. Her most influential work includes the development of probabilistic encryption schemes with Silvio Micali, which introduced the concept of semantic security and laid the foundation for modern encryption protocols. She also co-developed zero-knowledge proofs, a cryptographic method that allows one party to prove to another that a statement is true without revealing any additional information. These contributions earned her the 1993 Gödel Prize. Goldwasser's work on interactive proofs and the hardness of approximation problems has had lasting impact on complexity theory. Her research has influenced the design of secure communication protocols, digital signatures, and cryptographic systems used worldwide. She has published extensively in top-tier journals and conferences, and her algorithms and protocols are taught in computer science curricula globally.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Shafrira Goldwasser known for?
A: She is known for foundational work in cryptography, including probabilistic encryption and zero-knowledge proofs, and for being a 2012 Turing Award laureate.

### Q: Where does Shafrira Goldwasser work?
A: She is a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel.

### Q: What awards has Shafrira Goldwasser received?
A: She has received the Turing Award (2012), Gödel Prize (1993), Grace Murray Hopper Award (1996), IEEE Piore Award (2011), and the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award (2017), among others.

## Why They Matter
Shafrira Goldwasser's work has fundamentally shaped modern cryptography and computer security. Her development of probabilistic encryption and zero-knowledge proofs provided the theoretical underpinnings for secure digital communication, enabling technologies like online banking, e-commerce, and secure messaging. Her research has influenced both academic theory and practical applications, making digital privacy and authentication possible at scale. Goldwasser's contributions have also advanced complexity theory, influencing how computer scientists understand the limits of computation. As a leading figure in her field, she has mentored generations of researchers and continues to drive innovation in theoretical computer science.

## Notable For
- 2012 Turing Award recipient for transformative work in cryptography
- Co-developer of zero-knowledge proofs and probabilistic encryption
- First woman to win the Gödel Prize (1993)
- Member of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- Professor at MIT and Weizmann Institute of Science

## Body
### Early Life and Education
Shafrira Goldwasser was born on November 14, 1958, in New York City. She earned her B.S. in Applied Mathematics from Carnegie Mellon University and her Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley in 1984 under the supervision of Manuel Blum.

### Academic Career
Goldwasser has held professorships at MIT and the Weizmann Institute of Science. Her research focuses on cryptography, complexity theory, and probabilistic algorithms. She has supervised numerous doctoral students who have become influential researchers themselves.

### Major Research Contributions
Her work with Silvio Micali on probabilistic encryption introduced semantic security, a concept now fundamental to modern cryptography. Their development of zero-knowledge proofs allows verification of information without disclosure, with applications in authentication and privacy-preserving protocols. Goldwasser has also contributed to interactive proofs, hardness of approximation, and property testing.

### Recognition and Impact
Beyond the Turing Award, Goldwasser has received the Gödel Prize, Grace Murray Hopper Award, IEEE Piore Award, and BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award. She is a fellow of ACM and IACR, and a member of multiple national academies. Her research has influenced both theoretical foundations and practical implementations of secure systems.

### Mentorship and Leadership
Goldwasser has supervised doctoral students including Johan Håstad, Daniele Micciancio, Amit Sahai, and Salil Vadhan. She has served on numerous editorial boards and program committees, and has been a keynote speaker at major conferences worldwide.

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## References

1. [Source](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001600321300015X)
2. [Source](http://www.news-gazette.com/blogs/there-yet/2011-03/goldwassers-celebrate-lifetime-together-and-more.html)
3. [Source](http://math-blog.com/2008/09/28/10-remarkable-female-mathematicians/)
4. [Source](http://stats.areppim.com/listes/list_turingxaward.htm)
5. [Source](http://stats.areppim.com/stats/stats_turingxnation.htm)
6. [Source](http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/shafi_goldwasser.html)
7. [Source](http://community.feministing.com/2012/08/04/a-timeline-of-women-in-world-computing/)
8. [Source](http://jewprom.50webs.com/JewPromSite_files/sheet008.htm)
9. [Source](http://jewprom.50webs.com/JewPromSite_files/sheet065.htm)
10. [Source](http://amturing.acm.org/award_winners/goldwasser_8627889.cfm)
11. [Source](https://sigact.org/prizes/g%C3%B6del.html)
12. [Source](https://awards.acm.org/award-recipients/goldwasser_8627889)
13. [Source](https://www.ieee.org/content/dam/ieee-org/ieee/web/org/about/awards/piore_rl.pdf)
14. [Source](http://news.mit.edu/2009/franklin-laureates)
15. [10th Edition Archives](https://www.frontiersofknowledgeawards-fbbva.es/version/edition_2017/)
16. [Source](https://www.iacr.org/fellows/2007/Goldwasser.html)
17. [Source](https://www.acm.org/media-center/2017/december/fellows-2017)
18. [Source](https://awards.acm.org/athena/award-winners)
19. [Source](https://en.unesco.org/news/loreal-unesco-women-science-awards-honour-five-women-researchers-mathematics-astrophysics)
20. [Source](https://events.seas.upenn.edu/distinguished-lectures/pender-lecture/)
21. [Source](https://genealogy.math.ndsu.nodak.edu/id.php?id=35879)
22. Mathematics Genealogy Project
23. [Adam Sealfon's homepage](https://asealfon.github.io/)
24. International Standard Name Identifier
25. CiNii Research
26. www.nasonline.org
27. [Shafrira Goldwasser – NAS](https://www.nasonline.org/directory-entry/shafrira-goldwasser-jvwvgt/)
28. [Dr. Shafrira Goldwasser](https://www.nae.edu/30861/wd)
29. [Source](https://archivesspace.mit.edu/repositories/2/resources/869)
30. [Source](https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/86914?show=full)
31. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
32. Virtual International Authority File
33. Davos 2020 Participant List
34. IdRef
35. CONOR.SI