Ph.D., Neuroscience, Expected June 2012
B.A., English Language and Literature, Psychology, June 2007 - Phi Beta Kappa
GPA 3.88 General, 4.00 Psychology, 3.88 English
FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS
National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship, 2009-Present
National Science Foundation, Deferred
Outstanding GSI Teaching Award, UC Berkeley, 2009
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Undergraduate Research Fellowship, 2006
University of California, Berkeley Visual Space Perception Laboratory, Berkeley, CA
PhD Research with Dr. Marty Banks, May 2008 - Present
Projects include studies on stereopsis and eye movements in the natural environment, and retinal blur as a cue to depth.
Undergraduate Senior Thesis Research with Dr. Steven Small, May 2006 - August 2007
Designed and implemented an fMRI study on the effects of attention on narrative language processing. This project was conducted through both the Psychology and English departments, and encompassed the brain imaging study as well as a review of literary theory.
Research Assistant to Dr. Steven Small, March 2005 - August 2007
Duties included creating experimental materials for fMRI studies in discourse and language, researching academic literature, processing and analyzing fMRI data in surface and volume spaces, performing a theoretical examination of data analysis techniques.
Research Assistant to Dr. Brian Prendergast, June 2005 - August 2005
Duties included gathering data for the study of the circadian rhythms of rats.
Held, R., Cooper, E. A., O’Brien, J., & Banks, M. S. In Press. Using blur to affect perceived distance and size. Transactions on Graphics.
*Cooper, E. A., Hasson, U., & Small, S. L. (2006) Time and Narrative: Brain Activation during the Processing of Temporal Information in Text. Chicago Biological Investigator, 4(1): 24-29. (*In-house journal)
Held, R., Cooper, E., O'Brien, J., & Banks, M. (2009). Making big things look small: Blur combined with other depth cues affects perceived size and distance [Abstract]. Journal of Vision, 9(8): 959, 959a.
Cooper, E. A., Hasson, U., & Small, S. L. Dimensions of discourse: Brain activation during the processing of temporal, spatial, and actional information in narrative. Cognitive Neuroscience Society Annual Meeting, May 2007, New York.
Cooper, E. A., Burge, J., & Banks, M. S. Region of best binocular vision varies with body ratio. Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute Retreat, October 2009, Tahoe City, CA.
Cooper, E. A., Hasson, U., & Small, S. L. Time and narrative: Brain activation during the processing of temporal information in text. University of Chicago Neuroscience Cluster Scientific Retreat, September 2006, New Buffalo, MI.
University of California, Berkeley Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology - Brain, Mind, & Behavior
Graduate Student Instructor, January 2010 - May 2010
Duties included running discussion sections, helping write exams, and grading exams
University of California, Berkeley Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology - Mammalian Neuroanatomy
Graduate Student Instructor, August 2008 - December 2008
Duties included running laboratory sections, preparing lectures, meeting with student, and grading exams
Teaching Assistant, June 2004 - July 2004
Duties included aiding in a first grade summer school classroom and on field trips
Binocular Vision
fMRI Methods
Advanced Topics on Motor Control
Functional Neuroanatomy
Developmental Neurobiology
Mind and Brain Night Activity Coordinator, April 2008 – Present Piedmont Middle School Brain Program Presenter, December 2008 and 2009 Girls Go Tech Career Fair Presenter, February, 2008 Organizational Committee Member, June 2008 – Present The Passerines, Chicago, IL 2004 - 2007 The Parents, Berkeley, CA 2007 - Present Vision Science Society Research Tools: FreeSurfer, AFNI, R, SUMA, Matlab Proficient in Spanish
Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute Student-Selected Speaker Series, Berkeley, CA
Guitarist, Singer, Songwriter
MEMBERSHIPS
Psi ChiDATA ANALYSIS COMPUTER SKILLS
Scripting Languages: Perl
Platforms: Unix, Windows, MacLANGUAGES