Meredith L. Patterson
Meredith L. Patterson (born April 30, 1977) is an American technologist, science fiction writer, and journalist. She has spoken at numerous industry conferences on a wide range of topics. She is also a blogger and software developer, and a leading figure in the biopunk movement.
Meredith L. Patterson | |
|---|---|
Meredith Patterson (2010) | |
| Born | April 30, 1977 |
| Occupation(s) | Researcher, writer |
| Known for | DIYbio, X.509 attacks |
| Spouse | Len Sassaman (2006–2011; his death) |
Raised in Houston, she pursued an education in linguistics and computer science, earning a Master's degree in linguistics and a PhD in computer science from the University of Iowa. Patterson's early career involved diverse roles like website design, technical writing, teaching math, and restaurant criticism for the Houston Press.
Her contributions in computer science include breakthroughs in computational linguistics applied to computer security. She introduced innovative techniques to counter SQL injection attacks and integrated data mining libraries into PostgreSQL databases, giving rise to her startup, Osogato. She also actively contributed to open-source projects and co-presented significant research on internet security vulnerabilities with her husband Len Sassaman. As a writer, Patterson has written science fiction stories and poetry, often inspired by her scientific interests. She has also engaged in blogging, addressing topics like copyright reform, biohacking, civil rights, and programming languages.