Education

Matthew Niemerg completed his Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Mathematics and Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Computer Science at Eastern Illinois University from 2004 to 2008. Hearned a Ph.D. in mathematics in the field of numerical algebraic geometry from Colorado State University. He’s a Simons-Berkeley Fellow^[1] and also an IBM Center of Excellence Fellow^[2] in high performance computing at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Career

Matthew Niemerg, Ph.D., is a distinguished figure in the domain of distributed ledger technology (DLT), cryptography, and high-performance computing, with a career marked by significant contributions to both academia and the blockchain industry. He co-founded and presides over Aleph Zero, a Swiss non-profit dedicated to creating a decentralized, Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG)-based platform. This platform is notable for its innovative leaderless consensus protocol, which aims to provide a scalable, privacy-enhancing smart contract infrastructure suitable for enterprise applications. By employing advanced cryptographic techniques like secure multiparty computation and homomorphic encryption, Aleph Zero facilitates computations on confidential data within a public and permissionless setting, a breakthrough in the field.

In May 2019, Niemerg took on the role of CEO at Cardinal Cryptography^[4], located in the Kraków area, Poland. This organization gathers experts in mathematics, cryptography, software development, marketing, and business, focusing on pioneering initiatives within the DLT sphere. Under his leadership, Cardinal Cryptography has been instrumental in developing Aleph Zero's novel consensus protocol, reflecting his commitment to decentralization.

Niemerg's expertise extends to advising roles, serving as the Distributed Ledger Technology and Security Advisor for OneLedger Technology Inc. since February 2018. His insights have been pivotal in shaping the technological direction of the company. From October 2020 to December 2022, he also contributed as a Strategic Advisor - Technology to Minterest, a Polkadot-based decentralized money market lending protocol that innovatively rewards long-term liquidity.

Before these achievements, Niemerg was deeply involved in the entertainment and computing sectors. He was the Technology Lead at HardFork Entertainment, Inc., from November 2017 to December 2020, and a Scientific Advisory Board Member at Helix Cognitive Computing GmbH from December 2017 to December 2019. His early career also includes a consultancy role in distributed ledger technology in the Knoxville, Tennessee area, showcasing his broad range of skills and interests.

Niemerg's academic background is equally impressive, with a stint as a Center of Excellence Postdoc in High Performance Computing at IBM from March 2016 to November 2017. Here, he collaborated with scientists at ORNL and Nvidia to optimize code for high-performance computing applications on Summit, then the world's most powerful supercomputer. He has held research positions at The Fields Institute For Research In Mathematical Sciences as a Postdoctoral Visiting Fellow and was a Simons-Berkeley Fellow at both The Institute for Interdisciplinary Information Sciences and the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing. His time as a Visiting Researcher at the National Institute of Mathematics in Daejeon, South Korea, further underscores his commitment to advancing mathematical and computational research. Beyond his pioneering work, Matthew also sits on the board of Syndicately, an innovative investment management platform that specializes in Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs). Guided by CEO Jake Claver, Syndicately harnesses the power of R3 Corda for the tokenization of assets, offering a fresh approach to liquidity in the private markets.

Matthew Niemerg's career trajectory demonstrates a profound dedication to enhancing and expanding the possibilities of distributed ledger technology and high-performance computing, making him a key player in these rapidly evolving fields.

Trustless Financial Systems at Scale, Dr. Matthew Niemerg, President. Aleph Zero Foundation SACA Summit 2019 (Blockchain Finance Conference Nov 8 2019, COEX Startup Branch in Seoul)^[3]