Welcome to The Jaffe Collection! My name is Eli Jaffe and I’m a cryptographer, teacher, and math enthusiast. Currently, I am a math teacher at Flintridge Preparatory School where I teach Algebra II and AP Calculus BC. Before that I worked as a Research Scientist with Stealth Software Technologies, Inc., and before that I spent about a decade earning my B.S (Mathematics) and PhD (Computer Science) from UCLA (go Bruins!). Throughout my PhD I was happily co-advised by Rafi Ostrovsky and Len Kleinrock, and I was funded via the UCLA Connection Lab. My main research interests lie within secure multi-party computation (MPC), zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs), and secret-sharing, and my PhD thesis, Prio+, combined these topics to produce an efficient system for computing aggregate statistics without revealing any of the underlying user data. I was also a Research Intern (twice, actually) for Microsoft Research. In Summer 2021 I worked with Josh Benaloh and Michael Naehrig to design and optimize a ZKP system for ElectionGuard, a cryptographic system for election verifiability and auditability. The following summer I worked with Betül Durak to formulate definitions of non-transferability and design a ZK-based protocol for issuing and verifying non-transferable anonymous tokens. I believe in the potential for cryptography to inspire cooperation in otherwise adversarial contexts. For more info about my career, you can check out my LinkedIn profile.
Teaching:
Although I still perform some research, my main source of passion (and now income) is through teaching. Before starting my full-time teaching career, some of my most cherished teaching experiences were through various Math Circle programs. I taught K-12 students in the Olga Radko Math Circle (previously known as the Los Angeles Math Circle) and established the WorldSpeak Math Circle, an after-school program at WorldSpeak Elementary aimed towards students whose schedule could not align with ORMC. These programs are incredibly rewarding for both teachers and students, and I highly recommend them to anyone hoping to develop their love for mathematics. I’ve also done some “industrial” teaching work through the Blockchain Acceleration Foundation, explaining the foundations of ZKPs and MPC to corporate clients hoping to implement cryptography in their business operations. One of my more unique and memorable “teaching” experiences was my participation in a WIRED 5 Levels video about ZKPs alongside one of the best teachers at UCLA (in my humble opinion), Professor Amit Sahai.
Tutoring:
For over a decade, I have worked as a professional tutor. I love taking on new students (as long as my schedule permits) and I encourage anyone interested to reach out to me via the contact form on this website. I specialize in preparing Los Angeles students for national math competitions such as:
- Math Kangaroo
- Math Olympiad (MOEMS)
- AMC
If you’re unfamiliar with these tests, but have a child who excels in math, you can learn more at their respective webpages:
I also provide subject-specific tutoring in the following subjects (and others by request):
- Computer Programming (Python, Java, C++)
- Cryptography
- Computational Complexity
- Algorithms
- Discrete Math (Combinatorics)
- Linear Algebra
- Mathematical Logic
- Calculus
- Trigonometry
- Geometry
- Algebra
- SAT/ACT Math Prep
- AP Physics (Mechanics, E&M)
Miscellaneous:
In my free time, I love to play games of all kinds, especially competitive ones. My favorite game of all time is Super Smash Bros. Melee for the Nintendo GameCube, and I managed to graduate as the number one player at UCLA. Here’s an almost certainly incomplete list of my favorite games/sports, in no particular order:
- SSBM
- Tennis
- Volleyball
- Bowling
- Chess
- Poker
- Riichi Mahjong
- Hackeysack
- Basketball
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Magic: The Gathering
- Rivals of Aether II
- Rocket League
- Settlers of Catan
- Dune Imperium
I love spectating as well, since I firmly believe that observation (along with practice) is the best way to learn. I’m passionate about community in all forms, which infects my hobbies, my teaching, and just about every other part of my life. I also love food and spend a lot of my time (and money) trying to find the best meals in the world.
The Jaffe Collection is a composition of my own ideas, experiences, projects, and more. The goal of this website is to produce and maintain a record of who I am, what I do, and what I love. Enjoy!