Benjamin Smith

Benjamin Smith is a computational number theorist and algebraic curve specialist affiliated with INRIA and École polytechnique's Computer Science Department. He contributes to post-quantum cryptography through projects like Wave (code-based signatures), CTIDH (isogeny-based key exchange), and Velusqrt (faster isogeny algorithms). He also developed microcontroller cryptographic libraries μKummer and qDSA.

His research focuses on:

• Algorithmic arithmetic geometry
• Number theory in cryptography
• Efficient implementations of pre- and post-quantum cryptosystems
• Explicit isogeny constructions for higher-genus curves

He leads Inria's participation in the HYPERFORM consortium and co-founded the diamond-access journal Communications in Cryptography. His work bridges theoretical mathematics and practical cryptographic engineering, with a particular emphasis on real-world implementation challenges.