Welcome to the Cooper Lab website, housed within the Department of Biological Sciences at North Carolina State University. Here, you can explore my research interests, which broadly focus on understanding and improving science education. My work investigates how instructors and teaching assistants can effectively support students in developing and engaging in authentic scientific practices. I'm passionate about bridging the gap between research and practice, striving to translate findings into actionable strategies that empower educators and enhance the learning experiences of students in science classrooms.
Through this website, you'll find information about my ongoing projects, publications (including recent work in CBE—Life Sciences Education and Science Education), and opportunities to get involved. I invite you to explore the resources available here and learn more about the Classroom-Research-Mentoring Framework, a lens I use to understand science practice-based instruction. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like to discuss potential collaborations.
Publications
AC Cooper, JB Osness, SD Hester, MS Bolger
CBE—Life Sciences Education, vol. 23, American Society for Cell Biology, 2024, pp. ar56
Alexandra C Cooper, Molly S Bolger
Science Education, vol. 108, Wiley Online Library, 2024, pp. 275--307
AC Cooper, KM Southard, JB Osness, MS Bolger
CBE—Life Sciences Education, vol. 21, American Society for Cell Biology, 2022, pp. ar9
Molly S Bolger, Jordan B Osness, Julia S Gouvea, Alexandra C Cooper
CBE—Life Sciences Education, vol. 20, American Society for Cell Biology, 2021, pp. ar59
Alexandra C Cooper, Dennis E Desjardin, Brian A Perry
Phytotaxa, vol. 383, 2018, pp. 001--047