Pioneering theory, powering practice.

Cornell stands at the forefront of theoretical computer science, pioneering research across computational complexity theory, efficient graph algorithms, and applied logic for system verification. While maintaining leadership in these core areas, the department has emerged as a pioneer in exploring the interface between computation and social sciences, opening new frontiers in theoretical research.

What sets Cornell apart among top research institutions is its unique approach to bridging theory and practice. Students work directly with faculty across both theoretical and applied domains, fostering an environment where fundamental principles inform real-world applications and vice versa. This cross-disciplinary fluency enables groundbreaking advances that span the spectrum from pure theory to practical implementation.

Faculty studying computing theory.

A photo of Alexandra Silva, a smiling woman with shoulder length brown hair and a blue shirt in front of a gray background
Alexandra Silva
Professor of Computer Science
Alexandra Silva
Professor of Computer Science
alexandra.silva@cornell.edu
A photo of Nicholas Spooner, a smiling man with brown hair and glasses in a maroon sweater, in front of a mountain range.
Nicholas Spooner
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Nicholas Spooner
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
nspooner [at] cornell [dot] edu
A photo of Noah Stephens-Davidowitz, a smiling man with a shaved head, mustache and beard, and a blue plaid shirt in front of a gray background
Noah Stephens-Davidowitz
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Noah Stephens-Davidowitz
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
noahsd@gmail.com
Color portrait of Wen Sun
Wen Sun
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Wen Sun
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
ws455@cornell.edu
Color photo of A. Kevin Tang
A. Kevin Tang
Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
A. Kevin Tang
Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
at422@cornell.edu
A photo of Éva Tardos, a woman with long brown hair, glasses, a white shirt and black cardigan
Éva Tardos
Jacob Gould Schurman Professor of Computer Science
Éva Tardos
Jacob Gould Schurman Professor of Computer Science
eva.tardos@cornell.edu
A photo of Anke van Zuylen, a woman with short brown hair in a pink shirt.
Anke van Zuylen
Teaching Professor of Computer Science
Anke van Zuylen
Teaching Professor of Computer Science
avz <two> <at> cornell <dot> edu
Black and white photo of Aaron Wagner
Aaron Wagner
Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Aaron Wagner
Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
wagner@ece.cornell.edu
Color portrait of Mark Wilde
Mark Wilde
Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Mark Wilde
Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
wilde@cornell.edu
Portrait of David Williamson
David Williamson
Professor of Information Science, Director of the School of Operations Research and Information Engineering
David Williamson
Professor of Information Science, Director of the School of Operations Research and Information Engineering
dpw@cs.cornell.edu
Color portrait of Christina Lee Yu
Christina Lee Yu
Assistant Professor, Operations Research and Information Engineering
Christina Lee Yu
Assistant Professor, Operations Research and Information Engineering
cleeyu@cornell.edu