Neal I. Koblitz (born December 24, 1948) is a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Washington in the Department of Mathematics. He is also an adjunct professor with the Centre for Applied Cryptographic Research at the University of Waterloo. He is the creator of hyperelliptic curve cryptography and the independent co-creator of elliptic curve cryptography. Koblitz received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University in 1969. While at Harvard, he was a Putnam Fellow in 1968.