Dr. Jerome A. Solinas earned his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1985 and works as a Senior Technical Leader of the Trusted Systems Research Group in the National Security Agency, the U.S. government’s premier information assurance research and design center.  Jerry studies cryptographic algorithms and encryption systems in which number theory plays in important role in keeping data secure.  Among other techniques, his area of research includes using hyperelliptic curves as well as large prime numbers (such as the Solinas primes, which are primes of the form p =  where 0 < b < a) for public-key crypto systems.  These systems allow for the safe transmission of private financial information over electronic channels that may otherwise be subject to eavesdropping and intrusion.

 

Joseph W. Augustyn is Executive Vice President, Security and Intelligence at Jefferson Waterman International, a premier Washington, D.C. based political and business consulting firm with an exclusively international practice.   Mr. Augustyn has thirty years of high-level experience in homeland security, counterterrorism, and intelligence issues, as well as executive knowledge of the agencies and departments responsible for them.

Mr. Augustyn’s long career with the CIA includes senior positions as Deputy Associate Director of Central Intelligence for Homeland Security, Director of defector resettlement operations, Chief of Staff for the CIA’s Deputy Director of Operations, and the Deputy Division Chief for the CIA’s large East Asia Division. Mr. Augustyn was also chief of station on three separate occasions.

Mr. Augustyn is a frequent national lecturer and guest speaker on homeland security and intelligence topics, and has written articles published by the Christian Science Monitor and the Huffington Post.  The numerous honors and merit awards he has received include the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal and the Intelligence Commendation Medal.  Mr. Augustyn pursued doctoral studies at Indiana University, and holds degrees from the University of Massachusetts and Brown University.