Encryption Engaged
Mathematics student Bodie Cole studies cryptography, inspires others to see the beauty, complexity of numbers
Mathematics is much more than what meets the eye, something that fascinates 糖心vlog student Bodie Cole. Math is a universal language, a way of explaining the world around us, and the foundation of fields ranging from physics to computer science to economics and even art and design.
鈥淢any people see math as a field of cold calculations,鈥 Cole said. 鈥淭hey have no idea it鈥檚 actually a discipline full of intuition, beauty, and complex, nuanced reasoning, and this is something that I try to help people understand through my passion for the subject. There鈥檚 something motivating about the potential to contribute to the world of humanity鈥檚 knowledge.鈥
Cole is currently pursuing a bachelor鈥檚 degree in pure mathematics through the with a minor from the , both in the College of Arts and Sciences, in hopes of eventually earning a doctorate in cryptography, the study of encoding information for secure and private communication. Private messages, computer passwords, and financial transactions are among the many assets protected by encryption, a cryptographic technique that relies heavily on mathematical concepts.
鈥淐ryptography can be approached from a mathematical standpoint or a computer science perspective 鈥 I enjoy researching from the math side because of its versatility in different fields,鈥 Cole said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 see myself doing anything else; math is a discipline in which putting in the work and seeing results is extremely gratifying, even in tutoring and teaching others.鈥
In 2024, Cole presented 鈥淭iling Deficient Squares with L- and T- Tetrominoes鈥 at the 2024 Joint Mathematics Meetings in San Francisco, California, the largest mathematics research gathering in the world, as part of FSU鈥檚 Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program. The research, which examined how different square grids fit together like in Tetris, was conducted through UROP alongside mathematics professor Man Cheung Tsui and Cynthia Lester, former FSU postdoctoral scholar and current visiting professor of mathematics at the College of Wooster, Ohio.
From January 2023 to June 2024, Cole also applied his skills in FSU鈥檚 Office of the Provost as a member of its Accreditation Analytics Team, providing insights into the math involved in the processes that go into accrediting a university鈥檚 programs.
鈥Bodie has a lot of passion and talent for the subject, and he鈥檚 excelling simultaneously in several different pursuits. This quality is rare in someone this early in their studies, and this, plus Bodie鈥檚 enthusiasm, will serve him well in research and teaching.鈥
鈥 Richard Oberlin, FSU associate professor of mathematics
鈥淚t was incredible being surrounded by brilliant people in different areas,鈥 Cole said. 鈥淚 worked on a project for reaffirmation of accreditation with local accreditors in which my team prepared and presented a quality enhancement plan for the next 10 years at FSU, including data points showcasing graduate student success, student retention and more. It was a great opportunity and learning experience.鈥
Early in his undergrad career, Cole had the opportunity to take the graduate course Modern Cryptography, inspiring his interest in the subject. He recently attended the 2025 Spring School on Symmetric Cryptography in Rome, Italy, a five-day workshop held in cooperation with the International Association for Cryptologic Research that provides intensive training for early master鈥檚 and doctoral students on topics in cryptography.
鈥淭he spring school was intense, as we learned a new topic each day, but it was an amazing experience that reaffirmed my interest in the subject,鈥 Cole said. 鈥淭aking the Modern Cryptography course at FSU really prepared me for this opportunity, for which I鈥檓 thankful.鈥
While balancing his academics, Cole makes time for his extracurricular involvements, including his role as president of Pi Mu Epsilon, an organization dedicated to the promotion of mathematics, a role he assumed in January 2023.
鈥淏odie has a lot of passion and talent for the subject, and he鈥檚 excelling simultaneously in several different pursuits,鈥 said Richard Oberlin, associate professor of mathematics. 鈥淭his quality is rare in someone this early in their studies, and this, plus Bodie鈥檚 enthusiasm, will serve him well in research and teaching.鈥
With plans to earn his bachelor鈥檚 degree in 2026, Cole鈥檚 gaze is fixed on the future. After earning a doctorate in cryptography, Cole plans to become a university research professor or use mathematics to mitigate issues for an intelligence agency.
鈥淭eaching has always been something I enjoyed, and I love the potential to contribute to the world through mathematics,鈥 Cole said. 鈥淚鈥檇 also like to work for an intelligence agency that lets me apply mathematics to solve important problems, but overall, I want to do something with my life that ensures I鈥檓 constantly challenged and always learning.鈥
Lillian Gonda is a current FSU College of Business student working towards dual degrees in marketing and risk management/insurance with a minor in psychology.