Thomas Cover, acclaimed information theorist, dies at 73

Cover was a man of remarkable breadth in his research interests, making landmark contributions in fields ranging from information theory and mathematical statistics to data compression, pattern recognition and stock market investment strategies. Thomas Cover, one of the world's top information theorists and a professor of electrical engineering and of statistics at Stanford University, died March 26 at Stanford Hospital at the age of 73. "A senior colleague at MIT often referred to Tom Cover as 'the jewel in Stanford's crown.' He certainly was," said Abbas El Gamal, professor of electrical engineering. "Not only was he one of the greatest information theorists since Claude Shannon (and the one most like Shannon in approach, clarity, and taste), but he was also one of Stanford's most inspiring teachers and mentors. "I am truly privileged to have been his student, colleague, and friend for the past 37 years. It is a huge loss for all of us." "Tom Cover was wry, amusing, and interesting on almost any topic, especially favorites like betting and sports - especially Stanford sports," said longtime friend and colleague Bradley Efron, a professor of statistics at Stanford. "He was serious on just one topic, however: science, where his work on information theory set the bar worldwide." Cover was a man of remarkable breadth in his research interests, making notable contributions in fields ranging from information theory and mathematical statistics to data compression, pattern recognition and stock market investment strategies.