Rivest named Marconi Fellow

Ronald Linn Rivest, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has been named the 2007 Marconi Fellow for his pioneering work in the field of cryptography and computer and network security.

The announcement was made by the Marconi Society at Columbia University, which "identifies and supports groundbreaking achievements that have contributed significantly to human progress," according to the society's website.

Rivest will receive the award and the accompanying $100,000 prize at a California ceremony scheduled for September, the society said.

"Ron Rivest's achievements have led to the ability of individuals across the planet - in large cities and remote villages - to conduct and benefit from secure transactions on the Internet," Marconi Society chairman Robert Lucky said in a statement.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)