Joseph Y. Halpern

Joseph Y Halpern, 72, (b. 05/29/1953) of Ithaca, NY, passed away Friday, February 13, 2026 surrounded by family after a long battle with cancer. A loving son, husband, and father, he is survived by his wife Gale, and his children Sara , David, and Daniel. He was predeceased by his parents Israel and Eva Halpern. 

Joe spent nearly 30 years as a professor of computer science at Cornell, and was considered a pioneer in his field. He was famous for having an impressive influence in a wide variety of topics, working extensively at the intersection of computer science, philosophy, and game theory. His work has reshaped the way we think about topics such as reasoning about knowledge and causality. He is the recipient of prestigious awards such as the Gödel Prize and Dijkstra Prize, the co-author of three highly influential books, six patents, and over 300 papers.

Joe lived a full life of many passions. One of his great joys was teaching: he mentored dozens of undergraduate and graduate students at both Stanford and Cornell, and one of his most prized experiences was his two year stint with CUSO (Canadian University Services Overseas) as the head of the math department at Bawku secondary school in Ghana before starting his PhD. He loved travel and exploring other cultures; he spoke 5 languages and visited over 80 countries in his lifetime, and most recently went to the Galapagos earlier this year. He filled his days with music; if you walked by his office you would hear him listening to the Beatles, Broadway musicals or writing songs on the guitar. He was an avid hiker summiting Kilimanjaro and reaching Annapurna Base Camp, and on more casual trips exploring the Adirondacks and Yosemite with his family.

A funeral Service will be held on Monday, February 16, 2026 at 10:30am in Temple Beth-El, 402 N. Tioga Street, Ithaca. Burial to follow in Lake View Cemetery.