I'm Nikki, a theoretical computer scientist and cryptographer.
I focus on research in blockchain systems from cryptographic and privacy-based perspectives. I'm especially interested in strategic scientific communications management.
I enjoy cross-disciplinary work and often explore related fields of theoretical computer science and mathematics for ideas that might inspire bold new directions. I am a proponent of open research, a philosophy of practice that aims to make research more transparent, accessible, and collaborative.
Projects
Student perspectives on mathematics in computer science. In Proceedings of the 17th Koli Calling International Conference on Computing Education Research (Koli Calling '17).
An Exploration of Grit in a CS1 Context. In Proceedings of the 18th Koli Calling International Conference on Computing Education Research (Koli Calling '18).
A Survey-based Exploration of Computer Science Student Perspectives on Mathematics. In Proceedings of the 50th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE '19).
Countersign: Privacy-Preserving Authentication for P2P Networks. (Pre-print available soon.)
Current Research Interests
The Universal Composability Framework
Cryptographic Idealized Models
Proof Systems
Other General Interests
P vs. NP (and new approaches towards it such as the Tree Evaluation Problem)
Logic-based Approaches to Complexity Theory (such as Descriptive Complexity Theory)
Applications of Galois Theory to Cryptosystem Design
Homotopy Type Theory & Univalent Foundations
Independence-Friendly (IF) Logic
Hintikka's Game-theoretical Interpretations of First-Order Logic
Applications of Universal Composability Framework in and outside of Cryptography