Ernst M. Gabidulin was born in Kok-Jangak, Kyrgyzstan, U.S.S.R., on June 4, 1937. He received the Candidate of Science and Dr. of Science degrees in cybernetics from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University) (MIPT), Moscow, Russia, in 1976 and 1985, respectively.

From 1959 to 1976, he was an Assistant Professor, from 1976 to 1987, an Associate Professor, and from 1987 to 1989, a Professor in the Department of Radio Engineering at MIPT. Since 1989, he has been the Head of this department. His research interests include coding theory, coding techniques, communications, communication networks, Shannon theory,  source coding, complexity and cryptology, and sequences