Explore the life and contributions of Whitfield Diffie, the 2015 ACM Turing Award recipient, in this comprehensive interview. Delve into Diffie's early memories, childhood experiences, and family background, including insights about his father, Joe Diffie. Discover the influential teachers, mentors, and textbooks that shaped his academic journey, as well as his unique hobbies and first job. Follow Diffie's path into the computing field, learning about his first computer experiences and programming methodology. Gain insight into his time at Stanford University, where he interacted with notable figures like John McCarthy and Larry Roberts. Understand the impact of Alan Tritter on Diffie's career and explore the pivotal moments that led to his groundbreaking work in cryptography, ultimately earning him the prestigious ACM Turing Award.