Sarah Flannery

Sarah Flannery (born 1982, County Cork, Ireland) was, at sixteen years old, the winner of the 1999 Esat Young Scientist Exhibition for development of the Cayley-Purser algorithm, based on work she had done with researchers at Baltimore Technologies during a brief internship there. The project, entitled "Cryptography - A new algorithm versus the RSA", also won her the EU Young Scientist of the Year Award for 1999. Her book In Code (2001), co-written with her father, retells the story of the making and breaking of the algorithm and of the enjoyment that she got, as a child and throughout her life, from solving mathematical puzzles.

She studied computer science at Peterhouse College of the University of Cambridge graduating in 2003, and, as of 2006, works for Electronic arts]
Young Scientist Winner 1999

Sarah Flannery achieved global recognition at the age of 16 after winning the Young Scientist of the Year 1999 for her research into the Cayley-Purser Algorithm. Her winning project, which outlined a faster, more efficient and secure encryption formula than existing systems, resulted in massive media coverage worldwide, job offers, approaches from industry and the chance to represent Ireland in the European Union Contest for Young Scientists 1999.

However, shortly before the European competition took place, a flaw was discovered in the formula and, despite weeks of work, a solution could not be found. Submitting the project complete with documentation of the flaw,
led to an award which Sarah considers to be her most outstanding and prized achievement so far. "By then we had discovered that the algorithm wasn't as good as we hoped it would be. I was disheartened going in, but still came out with a first prize. That award was most important and put the faith back in it for me. I knew then that it was about the science, and not the publicity".

Destined for a career in science

Sarah comes from Co.Cork where both her parents lecture in science - her mother in microbiology, and her father in mathematics. Through them, and hearing about their student's career destinations, Sarah became aware of the many opportunities in science. "I have grown up with, and have a personality that suits science - I have always seen it as really interesting. My parents encouraged my interest and I got to see a lot of fascinating places where
people do research."

She took physics, chemistry, maths and applied maths for her leaving certificate, along with English, German and Accounting - subjects which she also loves. Sarah did some work experience with Baltimore Technologies in 1998, which helped her focus on a project for the Young Scientist.

Benefits of being named Young Scientist '99

"The Young Scientist competition is a brilliant idea. There is the perception that it is 'geeky', but when you get there there's a huge buzz of excitement with everyone talking about what they've been working on for the last couple of months - it's very interesting to see the projects that people have been working on."

Since her win she has been invited to give formal lectures in many places around the world, including New Zealand and Singapore (as a guest of their governments), Milan for IBM's first EMEA Women's Leadership Conference, London for the Royal Geographic Society 'Last Word Lecture' and the USA in MIT and Stanford University.

Many lectures and a bestselling book 'In Code - A Mathematical Journey' later, it's the fundamental research and puzzle solving which she still enjoys most. "My favourite part of the work is just getting on with projects. There are no real disadvantages to the work - problems, and solving them, are all part of the fun and what it is all about."

Computers at Cambridge

She is currently studying Computer Science in Peterhouse, Cambridge University in England where she has just completed the first year. "There are lots of areas where much work will be done in the coming years, such as
in quantum computing. I hope to work in research but still haven't decided exactly what area. I really like cryptography but am open to finding something else in the course that interests me. There's still so much to find out about and I'm only just starting. I'm coming across new things everyday as I learn about the area."

Looking to the future

Apart from openings in academia, there are plenty of big companies willing to sponsor researchers in industry, something that Sarah plans to take advantage of once she leaves college.

No matter what lies in future, choosing a career in science has already had a hugely positive impact on Sarah's life"Look at all the opportunities that have opened up for me - I've got to travel the world, meet amazing people - like cryptography figureheads Ronald Rivest and Whitfield Diffey, and I've enjoyed every moment. I can now get on with enjoying college and the course work, with the knowledge that there are plenty of good job opportunities out there for when I leave."

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