Xiao's picture - From Math to Code: Learn Cryptography & Algorithms with a PhD Mentor tutor in Evanston IL

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Ms. Xiao D.

specializes in From Math to Code: Learn Cryptography & Algorithms with a PhD Mentor · female

"I’m a PhD-trained computer scientist and published researcher who specializes in demystifying modern cryptography. My teaching focus is helping students truly understand cryptography, not just memorize formulas or copy implementations.

My approach connects rigorous mathematics with intuitive, hands-on understanding. Concepts that often feel abstract become clear “aha” moments through carefully more...

"I’m a PhD-trained computer scientist and published researcher who specializes in demystifying modern cryptography. My teaching focus is helping students truly understand cryptography, not just memorize formulas or copy implementations.

My approach connects rigorous mathematics with intuitive, hands-on understanding. Concepts that often feel abstract become clear “aha” moments through carefully designed coding exercises, visualizations, and step-by-step reasoning. Students learn to see the algebraic structure behind cryptographic systems and understand why they work.

This method has been refined over years of teaching and has proven effective for motivated high-school students, software engineers, and graduate-level learners. Students don’t just learn what works, they understand why it works and how to implement it correctly.

I offer a 10-lesson, hands-on cryptography series that guides learners from mathematical foundations to advanced topics in modern cryptography. The full series provides a coherent learning path, while individual lessons may also be taken independently. Each lesson typically runs two hours and is adapted to the learner’s level.

Lesson 1 – Basic number theory, public-key cryptography, RSA

Lesson 2 – Group theory I, Diffie–Hellman key exchange, discrete logarithm problem

Lesson 3 – Group theory II, cyclic groups, subgroups and ElGamal implementation

Lesson 4 – Symmetric cryptography, AES

Lesson 5 – Cryptographic hash functions

Lesson 6 – Elliptic curve cryptography

Lesson 7 – Zero-knowledge proofs

Lesson 8 – Homomorphic encryption

Lesson 9 – Post-quantum and lattice-based cryptography (CKKS)

Lesson 10 – Privacy-preserving ML/AI

I’ve also guided highly motivated high-school students in ISEF-affiliated state science fairs and mentored independent research projects published in very prestigious venues such as the STEM Fellowship Journal." less...

Details

fee: $135 (for 60 min)
travel distance: 20 miles
meeting type: either in-person or online

Contact

website: on file

Education and Qualifications

certified: Xiao D. is a certified tutor

Marquette University, Masters

Indiana University at Bloomington, PhD

Evanston, IL 60202

Subjects Tutored

Python - Computer Science - Data Science - Cybersecurity - Machine Learning/ AI