Joy Thomas: Legacy, Foundation and the IT Society

In this article, we commemorate Joy Thomas, who sadly passed away in 2020. Joy is best known for his seminal textbook Elements of Information Theory, coauthored with his Ph.D. advisor, the late Thomas Cover. We also catalog some of Joy’s technical contributions to information theory and to its practice. Joy also made an impact on industry through several successful startups. In recognition of Joy’s contribution to the exposition of information theory, the IEEE Information Theory Society Board of Governors has agreed to establish the Joy Thomas IEEE Information Theory Society Tutorial Paper Award. The Joy Thomas Foundation, established to honor Joy’s legacy of excellence and giving back, will sponsor this award.