Lauren Cooper

  • (She/Her/Hers)
  • Associate Teaching Professor, Mechanical Engineering
  • Associate Director, Western-CU Boulder Engineering Partnership Program
Lauren Cooper

Education

Ph.D., University of Colorado Boulder, Mechanical Engineering, 2014
M.S., University of Colorado Boulder, Building Systems Engineering, 2008
B.S., Colorado School of Mines, Engineering - Mechanical Specialty, 2006

Biography

Lauren received her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering with a research emphasis in Engineering Education, specifically to investigate the connection between student motivation and project-based learning. Lauren is a Teaching Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering and the Associate Director of the Western Colorado University – CU Boulder Engineering Partnership Program. Lauren launched the student organization Mountaineers Without Borders and is the Senior Capstone Design Program Director.

Teaching

Lauren strives to foster engaging learning environments that prioritize technical excellence, active learning, hands-on experience, integration of sociotechnical thinking and holistic student development. She combines a robust research background in student motivation, project-based learning, the development of empathy in engineering students, and strategies to integrate sociotechnical thinking into traditional engineering curricula.

Her repertoire of courses taught includes:

  • Mechanics of Materials
  • Component Design
  • Manufacturing Processes & Systems
  • Circuits & Electronics
  • Data Analysis & Experimental Design
  • Variety of design classes ranging from freshman- to senior-level

Select Publications

  1. Cooper, L., and D. Kotys-Schwartz (2022). Designing the Project-Based Learning Experience using Motivation Theory. Proceedings of the 2022 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference. Presented in the “Best in DEED” special session.
  2. Cooper, L., and J. Mott (2021). Implementing Social Justice Projects in Thermal System and Mechanical Design Courses. Proceedings of the 2021 American Society for Engineering Education Virtual Annual Conference.
  3. De Souza, N., Ochotonera, M., Self, B., and L. Cooper (2021). Sudden Shift to Online Learning: COVID-19’s Impact on Engineering Student Experiences. Proceedings of the 2021 American Society for Engineering Education Virtual Annual Conference.
  4. Cooper, L., A. Johnston, E. Hubbard, and B. Self (2020). Development of Empathy in a Rehabilitation Engineering Course. Proceedings of the 2020 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference.
  5. Johnson-Glauch, N., L. Cooper, and T. Harding (2020). Goal Setting as a Means of Improved Mental Health Outcomes for Materials and Mechanical Engineering Students. Proceedings of the 2020 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference.
  6. Schuster, P., L. Cooper, E. Elghandour, E. Rossman, and S. Harding. (2020). Senior Capstone Team Formation Based on Project Interest: Team Selection by Students Compared to Team Selection by Instructors. Proceedings of the 2020 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference.
  7. Schuster, P., B. Self, E. Elghandour, and L. Cooper (2020). A Hybrid Approach to Team-forming for Capstone Design Projects. Proceedings of the 2020 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference.
  8. Cooper, L. (2014). Designing the Design Experience: Identifying Factors of Student Motivation in Project-based Learning and Project-Based Service-learning. Mechanical Engineering Graduate Theses & Dissertations. Retrieved from: http://scholar.colorado.edu/mcen_gradetds/86
  9. Cooper, L., D. Kotys-Schwartz, and D. Reamon. (2012). Using Random Forests to Identify Factors of Student Motivation in a Project-Based Learning Course. Proceedings of the ASME 2012 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition.
  10. Cooper, L., M. Zarske, D. Kotys-Schwartz, and D. Reamon. (2012). One Day's Pay: Educating K-16 Engineers to Design Affordable Innovations. Proceedings of the 2012 National Science Foundation Engineering Education Awardees Conference.
  11. Rockenbaugh (Cooper), L., D. Kotys-Schwartz, and D. Reamon. (2011). Project-Based Service-Learning and Student Motivation. Proceedings of the 2011 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference.
  12. Rockenbaugh (Cooper), L., M. Zarske, D. Kotys-Schwartz, and D. Reamon. (2011). Engineering for American Communities: Engaging Engineering Students in Multidisciplinary Altruistic Engineering Design Projects. Proceedings of the 2011 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference.