Messing received his doctorate in 1971 at Princeton University under the supervisions of Alexander Grothendieck (and Nicholas Katz) with his thesis entitled The Crystals Associated to Barsotti–Tate Groups: With Applications to Abelian Schemes.
Messing wurde 1971 an der Princeton University bei Alexander Grothendieck (und Nicholas Katz) promoviert (The Crystals Associated to Barsotti-Tate Groups: With Applications to Abelian Schemes).