Prof. Joseph “Joe” Halpern, computer science, died on Friday at age 72 in Ithaca following a battle with cancer.
Halpern had served as a professor in computer science at Cornell since 1996. He was the chair of the Department of Computer Science from 2010 to 2014 and was named the Joseph C. Ford Professor of Engineering in 2017. Throughout his career, Halpern received the Gödel Prize, Edsger Dijkstra Prize and the Allen Newell Award.
At Cornell, Halpern taught several courses in computer science and mathematics, and researched “the interface between game and decision theory and computer science,” as well as “reasoning about knowledge and uncertainty, and on causality,” according to his biography for the Bowers College of Computing and Information Science.
“Watching Joe in action was to see his own mind pursue knowledge in an uncertain world: In his work, he was a creator of beautiful abstractions,” said Jon Kleinberg, computer science, in an interview with the Cornell Chronicle.
While he was a member of the computer science department, Halpern’s work intersected a wide range of fields.
“I once gave a talk in the economics department at Princeton where I described myself as someone with a Ph.D. in mathematics, who calls himself a computer scientist, and is giving a talk to economists about a subject mainly studied by philosophers,” Halpern wrote in his biography. “That's probably the best one-sentence description I can give.”
Halpern also had a passion for travel and learning about new cultures, having visited over 80 countries in his lifetime and speaking 5 languages. While traveling, he spent two years as the head of the math department at Bawku secondary school in Ghana before starting his PhD. Halpern also loved music and the outdoors, being an avid hiker, mountaineer and songwriter.
“[Halpern] was a towering figure in theoretical computer science and a beloved faculty member,” said Prof. Lorenzo Alvisi, chair of the Department of Computer Science, in an interview with the Cornell Chronicle. “Joe was as close to the ideal of a Renaissance man as I have met.”
Halpern is survived by his wife, Gale, and his three children, Sara, David and Daniel.
Individuals can have a diverse range of feelings, needs and reactions when facing loss. This information about Grief and Loss may be helpful to you or a friend. The Ithaca-based crisisline can be reached at 607-272-1616, and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available throughout the U.S. Additional support resources are listed at mentalhealth.cornell.edu.
Students in need of professional support can email Student Support and Advocacy Services at studentsupport@cornell.edu or call Counseling and Psychological Services at 607-255-5155. Employees can call the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program at 607-255-2673.
Coral Platt is a member of the Class of 2029 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is a staff writer for the News department and can be reached at cplatt@cornellsun.com.
Everett Chambala is a member of the Class of 2027 in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. He is a staff writer for the News department and can be reached at echambala@cornellsun.com.
