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.

Color portrait of Jayadev Acharya
Jayadev Acharya
Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Jayadev Acharya
Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
acharya@cornell.edu
The head and shoulder of a man with black hair and a gray fleece.
Rachit Agarwal
Associate Professor of Computer Science
Rachit Agarwal
Associate Professor of Computer Science
RA625@cornell.edu
Color portrait of Siddhartha Banerjee
Siddhartha Banerjee
Assistant Professor, Operations Research and Information Engineering
Siddhartha Banerjee
Assistant Professor, Operations Research and Information Engineering
sbanerjee@cornell.edu
A photo of Eshan Chattopadhyay, a man with dark hair, a beard and glasses in a gray shirt.
Eshan Chattopadhyay
Associate Professor of Computer Science
Eshan Chattopadhyay
Associate Professor of Computer Science
eshan@cs.cornell.edu
Portrait of Assistant professor Alex Conway
Alex Conway
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Alex Conway
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
aconway@cornell.edu
A photo of Sarah Dean, a woman with glasses and blond hair pulled back and a white shirt, sitting in a red chair.
Sarah Dean
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Sarah Dean
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
sdean AT cornell DOT edu
A photo of Matthew Eichhorn, a man with short dark brown hair, glasses, and a striped blue shirt, holding a colorful puzzle, in front of a gray background
Matthew Eichhorn
Lecturer of Computer Science
Matthew Eichhorn
Lecturer of Computer Science
meichhorn@cornell.edu
color portrait of man with dark hair on mountain, smiling
Ahmed El Alaoui
Assistant Professor of Statistics and Data Science
Ahmed El Alaoui
Assistant Professor of Statistics and Data Science
ae333@cornell.edu
A photo of Joseph Halpern, a man with light brown-white hair, glasses and a beige shirt
Joseph Halpern
Joseph C. Ford Chair of Engineering, Professor of Computer Science
Joseph Halpern
Joseph C. Ford Chair of Engineering, Professor of Computer Science
halpern at cs dot cornell dot edu
A color photo of John Hopcroft
John Hopcroft
Professor Emeritus
John Hopcroft
Professor Emeritus
jeh at cs dot cornell dot edu
A photo of Justin Hsu, a man with short dark hair in front of a leafy background
Justin Hsu
Associate Professor of Computer Science
Justin Hsu
Associate Professor of Computer Science
justin@cs.cornell.edu
A photo of Michael Kim, a man with short black hair, a beard and mustache, in a black tshirt in front of a gray background
Michael Kim
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Michael Kim
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
mpk@cs.cornell.edu
A portrait of Jon Kleinberg, a man with curly gray hair, glasses and a blue shirt, in front of Gates Hall
Jon Kleinberg
Tisch University Professor of Computer Science and Information Science
Jon Kleinberg
Tisch University Professor of Computer Science and Information Science
kleinber@cs.cornell.edu
A photo of Robert Kleinberg, a smiling man with short gray hair, glasses and a black shirt in front of a gray background
Robert Kleinberg
Professor of Computer Science
Robert Kleinberg
Professor of Computer Science
rdk@cs.cornell.edu
A photo of Dexter Kozen, a smiling man with short gray hair, glasses and a plaid shirt
Dexter Kozen
Joseph Newton Pew, Jr. Professor Emeritus
Dexter Kozen
Joseph Newton Pew, Jr. Professor Emeritus
kozen@cs.cornell.edu
Color photo of Anil Nerode
Anil Nerode
Professor, Mathematics
Anil Nerode
Professor, Mathematics
an17@cornell.edu
Color portrait of Francesca Parise
Francesca Parise
Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Francesca Parise
Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
fp264@cornell.edu
Color portrait of Rafael Pass
Rafael Pass
Professor of Computer Science
Rafael Pass
Professor of Computer Science
RNP3@cornell.edu
Color portrait of Thomas Ristenpart
Tom Ristenpart
Professor of Computer Science
Tom Ristenpart
Professor of Computer Science
ristenpart@cornell.edu
Color Portrait of David Shmoys
David Shmoys
Laibe/Acheson Professor of Business Management & Leadership Studies
David Shmoys
Laibe/Acheson Professor of Business Management & Leadership Studies
david.shmoys@cornell.edu