September 28, 1953, marked the birth of Jeffrey Ezra Hoffstein in New York City. An academic specializing in number theory and automorphic forms, his career spans several decades of research and instruction at major American universities, while his work in informatics and cryptosystems has bridged the gap between theoretical mathematics and practical digital security applications.
Academic Foundation and Early Career
Hoffstein completed his undergraduate studies at Cornell University, earning a bachelor's degree in 1974. He continued his academic progression at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he obtained his Ph.D. in 1978. His doctoral dissertation focused on class numbers of totally complex quadratic extensions of totally real fields, supervised by Harold Stark. Following his graduate work, he held postdoctoral positions at the Institute for Advanced Study and the University of Cambridge.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Professional Appointments
His tenure at Brown University began with an assistant professorship from 1980 to 1982. He subsequently moved to the University of Rochester, serving as an assistant and then associate professor. In 1989, he returned to Brown University as a full professor. Within this department, he served as chair from 2009 to 2013 and again from 2019 to 2024. Throughout his career, he held visiting appointments at the University of Texas at Austin in 1984 and the University of Göttingen in 1986.
Mathematical Research and Cryptography
Hoffstein’s research utilizes analytic and algebraic methods to explore L-series of automorphic forms over GL(n) and number fields. In 1996, he co-founded NTRU Cryptosystems, Inc. alongside Jill Pipher, Joseph Silverman, and Daniel Liemann. The firm commercialized the NTRUEncrypt and NTRUSign algorithms. Security Innovation eventually acquired the company in 2009. Additionally, he co-authored the textbook An Introduction to Mathematical Cryptography, which saw its second edition published in 2014.
Fast facts
- Born: September 28, 1953, New York City
- Education: Cornell University (1974), MIT (1978)
- Primary Employer: Brown University
- Awards: Fellow of the American Mathematical Society (2019)
- Key Research Areas: Number theory, automorphic forms, cryptography
- Company Founded: NTRU Cryptosystems, Inc. (1996)
- Academic Service: Chair of Mathematics, Brown University (2009-2013, 2019-2024)
Questions readers ask
What specific algorithms were developed at NTRU Cryptosystems?
The company developed and marketed the NTRUEncrypt and NTRUSign cryptographic algorithms.
What is the primary focus of Jeffrey Hoffstein's mathematical research?
He specializes in number theory and automorphic forms, focusing on the investigation of L-series over number fields and GL(n).
Achievements
- Held posts at Brown University
- Fields: mathematics, informatics and cryptography