معرفی
Nicholas Spooner is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Cornell University, affiliated with the Theory of Computing group. Previously, he held positions at the University of Warwick (until 2024) and New York University (2023-2024). He completed his PhD at UC Berkeley under Alessandro Chiesa, with prior degrees from ETH Zürich (MSc in Theoretical Computer Science) and the University of Cambridge (BSc in Computer Science). His research focuses on post-quantum proof systems, probabilistic proof systems, zero-knowledge protocols, and quantum cryptography.
Key research interests include post-quantum cryptographic primitives, quantum information theory, coding theory, and computational complexity. His work often bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications in secure computation and blockchain technologies. Spooner has contributed to advancements in succinct arguments, zero-knowledge protocols, and quantum-resistant cryptographic systems.
Recent highlights include manuscripts on quantum rewinding for succinct arguments and a zero-knowledge PCP theorem accepted to STOC 2025. His work has been featured in venues like Quanta Magazine and recognized with awards such as the Outstanding Paper Prize at TQC 2023. He has advised PhD students Oren Renard and Max Tromanhauser (both since 2024) and actively serves on program committees for FOCS, Eurocrypt, and CRYPTO.
Teaching includes graduate courses on probabilistic proofs (Cornell) and quantum computing at Cornell, NYU, and Warwick. His courses emphasize theoretical rigor, covering topics like quantum algorithms, error correction, and cryptographic foundations.
