Martin Edward Hellman papers, 1971-2018, bulk 1976-1988

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Summary

Creators:
Hellman, Martin E.
Extent:
3 Linear Feet (and 265 megabytes)
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[identification of item], Martin Edward Hellman Papers (SC1176). Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Background

Scope and content:

The materials consist of research files, subject files, publications and correspondence documenting public key cryptography and the Beyond War project.

Biographical / historical:

Martin Edward Hellman was born in New York, NY in October 1945. He received his B.E. from New York University in 1966, and his M.S. and Ph.D. from Stanford University in 1967 and 1969, all in Electrical Engineering.

Prof. Hellman was at IBM's Watson Research Center from 1968-1969 and an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering at MIT from 1969-1971. Returning to Stanford in 1971, he served on the regular faculty until becoming Professor Emeritus in 1996. He has authored over seventy technical papers, ten US patents and a number of foreign equivalents.

Hellman is best known for his invention, with Diffie and Merkle, of public key cryptography. In addition to many other uses, this technology forms the basis for secure transactions on the Internet. He has also been a long-time contributor to the computer security debate, starting with the issue of DES's key size in 1975, serving (1994-96) on the National Research Council's Committee to Study National Cryptographic Policy, and currently serving on Verified Voting's Board of Advisors.

Prof. Hellman also has a deep interest in the ethics of technological development. With Prof. Anatoly Gromyko of Moscow, he co-edited Breakthrough: Emerging New Thinking, a book published simultaneously in Russian and English in 1987 during the rapid change in Soviet-American relations. His current project in this area, Defusing the Nuclear Threat, has been endorsed by a number of prominent individuals including a former Director of the National Security Agency, Stanford's President Emeritus, and two Nobel Laureates.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The materials are open for research use.

Audio-visual materials are not available in original format, and must be reformatted to a digital use copy.

Terms of access:

All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, California 94305-6064. Consent is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner, heir(s) or assigns. See: http://library.stanford.edu/spc/using-collections/permission-publish.

Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.

Preferred citation:

[identification of item], Martin Edward Hellman Papers (SC1176). Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Location of this collection:
Stanford University Archives, Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford, CA 94305-6064, US
Contact:
(650) 725-1022
specialcollections@stanford.edu
Website