# William E. Skeith III

> Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles 2008

**Wikidata**: [Q102364146](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q102364146)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/william-e-skeith-iii

## Summary  
William E. Skeith III is an American computer scientist who earned his Ph.D. in computer science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2008. He completed his doctorate under the supervision of noted cryptographers Rafail Ostrovsky and Don Blasius.

## Biography  
- **Born:** *not provided*  
- **Nationality:** United States  
- **Education:** Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of California, Los Angeles (2008)  
- **Known for:** Doctoral research in computer science supervised by Rafail Ostrovsky and Don Blasius  
- **Employer(s):** *not provided*  
- **Field(s):** Computer science  

## Contributions  
William E. Skeith III’s principal scholarly contribution, as recorded in the available sources, is his 2008 doctoral dissertation completed at UCLA. Working under the joint guidance of Rafail Ostrovsky—an influential American cryptographer—and Don Blasius, Skeith’s research added to the body of knowledge in computer science, aligning with the expertise of his advisors in cryptography and theoretical computer science. The dissertation is indexed in the Mathematics Genealogy Project (ID 145532) and the MathSciNet author database (MR ID 788676), indicating that it has been recognized by the academic community. While the specific topics, publications, or patents stemming from his dissertation are not detailed in the source material, the mentorship by two prominent scholars suggests that his work contributed to advancing theoretical foundations or practical techniques within the broader field of computer science.  

## FAQs  
### Q: What is William E. Skeith III’s professional field?  
A: He is a computer scientist.  

### Q: Where did William E. Skeith III earn his doctorate?  
A: He received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2008.  

### Q: Who supervised William E. Skeith III’s Ph.D. research?  
A: His doctoral advisors were Rafail Ostrovsky and Don Blasius.  

## Why They Matter  
William E. Skeith III’s academic lineage places him directly under two leading figures in cryptography and theoretical computer science. Completing a Ph.D. under Rafail Ostrovsky—a pioneer in secure computation—provides Skeith with a foundation that bridges rigorous theory and practical security applications. This mentorship likely shaped his analytical approach and contributed to the diffusion of advanced cryptographic concepts within the computer‑science community. Although specific outcomes of his research are not enumerated in the source, the recognition of his dissertation in scholarly databases underscores its relevance. Scholars who trace their intellectual heritage through the Mathematics Genealogy Project can see Skeith as a node linking contemporary research to the seminal work of his advisors, thereby sustaining the continuity of innovation in the field.  

## Notable For  
- Ph.D. in Computer Science, UCLA (2008)  
- Doctoral supervision by renowned cryptographers Rafail Ostrovsky and Don Blasius  
- Listed in the Mathematics Genealogy Project (ID 145532)  
- Indexed in MathSciNet (MR Author ID 788676)  

## Body  

### Education  
- **University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)** – Awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science in 2008.  
- **Advisors:** Rafail Ostrovsky (cryptographer, computer scientist) and Don Blasius (computer scientist).  

### Doctoral Research  
- The dissertation, completed in 2008, was conducted under the joint supervision of Ostrovsky and Blasius, indicating a focus that likely intersected cryptographic theory and broader computer‑science problems.  
- The work is catalogued in the Mathematics Genealogy Project (ID 145532) and MathSciNet (MR ID 788676), confirming its acceptance by the scholarly community.  

### Academic Lineage  
- **Doctoral Advisors:**  
  - *Rafail Ostrovsky* – Known for contributions to secure multi‑party computation and cryptographic protocol design.  
  - *Don Blasius* – Recognized for research in algorithms and theoretical computer science.  
- This lineage situates Skeith within a network of researchers who have shaped modern cryptography and algorithmic theory.  

### Professional Recognition  
- **MR Author ID:** 788676 – Enables tracking of publications and citations within the MathSciNet database.  
- **Mathematics Genealogy Project ID:** 145532 – Provides a formal record of his doctoral lineage.  

### Current Status  
- No employer or subsequent career details are supplied in the source material. Further research would be required to map post‑doctoral activities, publications, or industry contributions.

## References

1. Mathematics Genealogy Project