Rate My Professor Paul Cooper

Paul Cooper is a Senior Lecturer in Chemistry at Yale University, joining the Department of Chemistry in 2019. He teaches undergraduate students in general chemistry lectures and laboratories, as well as physical chemistry laboratories, bringing multiple years of undergraduate and graduate teaching experience from George Mason University (GMU), where he served as assistant and associate professor from 2007 to 2018. Cooper earned his Bachelor of Science degree with honors in chemistry in 2000 and his Doctor of Philosophy in 2005 from The University of Western Australia. His Ph.D. research, supervised by Dr. Terry Quickenden, focused on infrared matrix isolation spectroscopy of water complexes and the chemistry of solar system ices. Following his doctorate, he conducted postdoctoral research at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center under the guidance of Dr. Marla Moore, studying the chemistry of proton-irradiated ices relevant to Jupiter’s Galilean moons. At Yale, Cooper engages in ongoing professional development through the Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning, including participation in the Course (Re)Design Institute and STEM Learning Community programs, and he recently completed the Faculty Teaching Academy program. He adapted his teaching methods during the COVID-19 pandemic alongside a team of lecturers to ensure continuity of education.

Cooper’s academic interests encompass physical chemistry, with specific emphasis on spectroscopy of small molecules and planetary ice analogs. He contributes to chemical education as a co-author of the Top Hat General Chemistry interactive text. His dedication to teaching excellence has been honored with the GMU College of Science Teaching Award and the GMU Teaching Excellence Award. These accomplishments highlight his impact on chemical education and research in astrochemistry-related physical chemistry topics.