In this episode, assistant professor Eleftheria Makri takes us from a classic 1980s cryptography puzzle to today’s urgent questions about data privacy, secure computation, and the looming impact of quantum computing. Through clear examples—from billionaire dinner bills to medical diagnostics—she shows how we can extract useful insights from data without ever exposing the data itself.

Makri explains why privacy isn’t about secrecy but about control, and how secure computation can unlock collaboration in fields like healthcare and finance without exposing sensitive data. She also highlights the urgency of preparing for a post‑quantum world, where today’s encrypted information could become tomorrow’s open book.

Idea by Dimitra Kouimtzidou
Research, planning & coordination by Marcel Tichelaar & Dimitra Kouimtzidou
Interview, production & editing by Michiel van Poelgeest