Melvin Currie

Melvin Robert Currie is an American mathematician and cryptographer. He is a former Chief of the Cryptographic Research and Design Division at the National Security Agency. His recognitions include a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Mathematicians, the 2007 Crypto-Mathematics Institute's Leadership Award, the NSA Director's Distinguished Service Medal, and recognition as a Black History Month 2019 Honoree by Mathematically Gifted & Black.[1][2] He is the author of the 2018 popular mathematics book Mathematics: Rhyme and Reason, published jointly by the American Mathematical Society and the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute.[3] Currie is also the author of the 2019 novel Just Before Too Late.

Melvin Currie
Born1948
Alma materYale University
University of Pittsburgh
Scientific career
FieldsMathematics
Doctoral advisorWilliam Fleissner

Early life

Currie is African-American. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1948. His parents separated when he was six. Currie spent the rest of his childhood living with his mother, younger brother, and maternal grandparents.[4]

His uncle is jazz musician Ahmad Jamal.[5]

Education

Currie received a BA from Yale University, where he majored in mathematics and economics. He went to graduate school at the University of Pittsburgh.[4] He received his PhD in mathematics in 1983; his advisor was William Fleissner, and the title of his dissertation was A metric characterization of the irrationals via a group operation.[6]

References

  1. "Dr. Mel Currie, Southwestern District". Baltimore City Office of Civil Rights. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  2. "Melvin Currie". Mathematically Gifted & Black.
  3. "Mathematics: Rhyme and Reason". AMS Bookstore. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  4. "Melvin Robert Currie". Mathematical Association of America. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  5. Williams, Scott. "Melvin Robert Currie". Mathematicians of the African Diaspora. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  6. Melvin Currie at the Mathematics Genealogy Project


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