Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU) held the opening ceremony for its 9th mathematics-themed event on March 14. Hosted by the College of Informatics, the event highlighted the role of mathematics in education and national strength.

Attendees included Vice President Li Dapeng, cryptography expert Professor Li, faculty members, and students.

In his speech, Vice President Li emphasized the essential role mathematics plays in personal growth, university progress, and national development. He noted that in the era of artificial intelligence, while machines can handle complex calculations, mathematics helps cultivate human qualities such as aesthetics, intuition, and creativity.

Following the opening, Professor Li gave a lecture on mathematics and cryptography. He explored the field from four angles: definition, classification, mathematical applications, and future trends. Using examples such as bank transactions and mobile payments, he explained the role of cryptographic methods in daily life.

Professor Li traced the evolution of cryptography from manual and mechanical stages to modern algorithms based on Shannon's information theory, referencing classical encryption techniques and devices like the Roman Caesar cipher, the German Enigma machine, and Turing's Colossus computer.

He further engaged students by showing how mathematical concepts underpin modern cryptography, from prime numbers to linear algebra and elliptic curves. He concluded by stating that mathematics remains the key to protecting information security against emerging threats in the AI era.

Shen Jingfang, Deputy Dean of the College of Informatics, hosts the opening ceremony of a mathematics event. [Photo/news.hzau.edu.cn]