What do you like about the programme/specialisation and why? How has the programme/specialisation challenged you (in relation to your previous education)?
I am doing the Master's with a specialisation in computing science, in particular I am following lots of courses in cryptography. About this programme, I like that I can specialise in my preferred field cryptography and adjust it to my level. I can follow (cryptographic) courses which need a strong mathematical background, but I do not have to follow maths courses that are completely unrelated and uninteresting.
What do you think about the atmosphere in class (for example the relationship between students and with the teachers/researchers)?
The atmosphere in the class is nice, even though during the Master's there is lots of freedom in choosing our courses, you follow Radboud courses with more or less the same students, and we get to know each other. The classes at the Radboud are rather small, so I feel like I know the teachers. I feel free to ask questions to them and the teachers know me by name.
What do you find most challenging in your Master’s (specialisation)? Have you encountered any obstacles?
During a mathematical Master's you can follow courses in the Mastermath programme. For me, it was not worth to travel a whole day for one course and I could not follow two courses at the same day in the same city. I was thus mostly doing self-study, whenever I had a question there is an online forum to post them. However, not having interaction with fellow students or teachers during these courses was a bit hard and lonely sometimes.
Are you currently doing an internship? Or what is your thesis about?
Currently, I am doing a thesis about cryptography. During my thesis, I am investigating a proposed cryptosystem. This system is built on matrix codes and the assumption that finding an isometry between two matrix codes is hard. I am investigating whether this hardness assumption is right under some extra assumptions. If the problem is not hard at all I will write an algorithm on how to break this cryptosystem.
Why do you think is it important that there are people out there with this degree? What are your plans once have received your Master's degree?
Once I receive my Master’s degree I am eager to continue in the field of cryptography. I think it is essential that we develop cryptosystems that are resistant against attacks from quantum computers, and I am very willing to help analyse the hardness of such systems or to develop a secure system myself.