Interview with László Lovász and Avi Wigderson

0:10 Introduction
0:51 Congratulations by Hans Munthe-Kaas, Chair of the Abel Prize committee
2:48 Why do you love math, and what does math mean to you?
5:27 How has your childhood influenced your life and decisions?
8:37 Why is it interesting and helpful to live in a time where mathematics develop together with its applications?
11:28 Quantum computers and security
16:53 Zero knowledge proof (ZKP) explained
20:39 How do you feel about your mathematics being used in blockchain, and if you are interested in Bitcoin, dogecoin or crypto currency in general?
26:04 Lovász, your wife is also an elite mathematician, how is the collaboration?
28:09 Avi, do you do your own taxes?
29:20 Avi, how has computer science developed since you started tackling problems
35:26 Lovász, please try to explain your most resent work for non-mathematicians.
40:42 You both like mentoring young mathematicians. How do you do it, what do you tell them?
47:26 You know each other well. Tell us something we don't know about the other.
49:53 The solitary mathematician, myth or fact?
52:55 It is said about you Lovász, that some mathematicians think in pictures and others in formulas. And Lovász applies both methods. What is your thinking style?
54:00 If you could go back to the beginning of your career, would you make the same choices?
56:01 What is the best ways to popularize mathematics to the public?
1:02:48 If you could have a super power, what would it be?
1:03:42 Cryptography is a powerful tool in cyber security, and is linked to geopolitics. Do you worry that your mathematics can influence the balance of power in the world?

Technology journalist Andrada Fiscutean in conversation with the Abel Prize 2021 laureates László Lovász and Avi Wigderson.

The event was hosted by World Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ)
The World Federation of Science Journalists is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization, representing 67 science journalists’ associations and 10,000 individual science and technology journalists from around the world.

Andrada Fiscutean

[KatlegoMmadi]

I am writing a report on these two gentlemen and I would've liked to know how, cryptography could affect geopolitics or the balance of power .

[DanteGous]

Congratulations Andrada for putting this discussion together. If the World only knew that it`s design and form and existence is all based on Mathematics like Pie and Fibonacci and it all points to one fact, it was created by intelligent design!