UCLA Computer Scientist Recognized for Influential Research in Cryptography

Amit Sahai, Symantec Term Professor of Computer Science at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, has been selected by the International Association for Cryptologic Research to receive its 2023 Test of Time Award.

This annual award is given to researchers whose papers, published 15 years prior, have had a lasting impact on the field. Sahai’s 2008 paper with Jens Groth, titled “Efficient Non-interactive Proof Systems for Bilinear Groups,” proposed a new type of non-interactive proof system that is more efficient than previous methods. The paper focused on bilinear groups, which are mathematical structures used in cryptography. This is the second time Sahai has won the award. His 2005 paper with Brent Waters, “Fuzzy Identity-Based Encryption,” was selected for the honor in 2020.

Sahai’s primary research interests are in cryptography, coding theory, complexity theory and security. He is the co-inventor of attribute-based encryption, functional encryption and indistinguishability obfuscation. Sahai has received numerous national and international honors for his cryptography research, including being named a Simons Investigator, and a fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery, the International Association for Cryptologic Research and the Royal Society of Arts. In 2022, he received the Michael and Sheila Held Prize from the National Academy of Sciences for his pioneering work on cryptographic software obfuscations and its theoretical applications. A dedicated teacher, Sahai received UCLA Samueli’s Lockheed Martin Excellence in Teaching Award in 2016. He has been featured in notable media outlets including WIRED, Forbes and BBC.