Welcome to Fall Semester of 2025 at The Cooper Union. Thank you for joining me virtually on Shoop’s Stoop as I share some of the activities and accomplishments in the Albert Nerken School of Engineering since the last newsletter and foreshadow some that will come this academic year. On the first day of classes at our Convocation ceremony on Tuesday, September 2, in a packed Great Hall, we heard from President Steve McLaughlin, a panel of faculty from across Cooper Union, and from students. It was truly an electrifying moment and start to the academic year!

I'll begin with the really big news: on Thursday, August 28, we received our 2025 ABET Final Program Accreditation Actions and Statement of Accreditation. All four of our engineering programs are reaccredited! All concerns were resolved, and the School of Engineering was commended for its strong support of undergraduate research.

During Welcome Week, I had the opportunity to engage with our incoming class. The first-year class is an amazing group of talented individuals who will bring diverse lived experiences, contribute to the richness of our learning environment, and add to the vibrancy of our community. Like our returning students, they have a voracious appetite for learning and are anxious to engage with our community. We had 129 entering engineering first-year students join our ranks with 25 ChE, 29 CE, 25 EE, 32 ME, and 18 CS. Women comprise 38% of this class, 22% self-identify as the first in their family to attend college, and 9% are international. Additionally, even though our admissions process is test-optional, over 88% submitted SAT scores with an average SAT score of nearly 1500/1600 and average Math SAT score of nearly 770/800.

Over the summer, we had six full-time faculty members from our ABET departments assess the interdisciplinary capstone design experience to see if it is meeting the original goals and make recommendations for improvement. In July, we had two full-time faculty members, Professor of Physics Emily Palmer and Professor of Chemical Engineering Abhishek Sharma, attend the three-day Project Catalyst: How to Engineer Engineering Education workshop at Bucknell University.

At the start of Fall Semester, we welcomed a total of five new full-time faculty to our ranks. Please forgive me for repeating some of these details from the June newsletter but the new faculty have truly transformed the School of Engineering. In electrical engineering, we welcome Dr. Stella Banou, who received a Ph.D. from Northeastern University and was most recently a postdoctoral fellow at NYU. Her research areas include novel wireless communications for remote health monitoring and diagnosis. In chemistry, we welcome Dr. Tommy George who most recently completed a Ph.D. from Harvard University and whose research areas include electrochemistry, electroanalytical experimental methods, and decarbonization toward climate sustainability. In civil engineering, we welcome Dr. David Kim who received a Ph.D. from Yale University and was most recently a postdoctoral fellow at MIT. His research areas are in electrochemical methods for water and wastewater treatment. In mechanical engineering, we welcome Dr. Martin Lawless ME’13 who received a Ph.D. from Penn State University and was most recently an assistant professor at SUNY Maritime. His research areas are in acoustics, psychoacoustics, and architectural acoustics. And finally in physics, we welcome Dr. Emily Palmer, who received a Ph.D. from Caltech, and she served as a postdoctoral fellow at Cornell University. Her research areas include insect flight, fluid dynamics governing wind and ocean energy, the biomechanics underlying human walking, and the electrochemistry of neuronal communication. For those keeping track, since arriving at Cooper, I have hired 16 new tenure-track faculty in the School of Engineering. With the new Computer Science Program, this number is quickly approaching 50% of the tenured and tenure-track faculty. In 2013, the composition of the tenured and tenure-track faculty in the School of Engineering was 6.3% women, and in Fall 2025 it remains 42% women! This academic year we will be hiring four new full-time faculty members – two in electrical engineering and two in computer science.

Another addition to the Dean’s staff is Subalekha Udayasankar, who joins us as the new Director of Student Success. She has a Master of Science degree in computer science and a Master of Fine Arts in design and technology from the Parsons School of Design. She will oversee the Academic Resource Center (ARC) for tutoring, the Cooper’s Help for Engineering Student Success (CHESS) summer bridge program, and support for the First Year Seminar Series. She will assess student progress and success that includes the data gathering and analysis to track retention, persistence, graduation rate and overall success of the program and provide a data-driven methodology to adjust individual elements and initiatives to improve student success. In addition to student success elements that support disciplinary expertise, she will also facilitate initiatives that develop student study techniques, test-taking strategies, critical thinking, and time management skills necessary to succeed in the rigorous Cooper curriculum.

Another staff update: because of his amazing work proactively driving down purchasing costs, identifying alternative vendors, and enhancing supply chain suppliers, we have promoted Donald Etheridge to finance analyst and senior purchasing associate.

The beginning of the academic year also brings several new appointments: Amanda Simson, associate professor of chemical engineering, was appointed the C.V. Starr Distinguished Professor of Engineering. This named professorship goes to mid-career, tenured, associate, or full professor faculty members with documented research accomplishments including peer-reviewed journals, conference papers, and presentations as well as evidence of scholarly collaboration with other institutions and/or corporations. The distinction lasts for two years and comes with a $20,000 annual stipend for research activities such as travel, research assistants, equipment, and supplies. Jennifer Wieser, associate professor of chemical engineering, was appointed Distinguished Professor of Bioengineering. This named professorship goes to mid-career, tenured, associate, or full professor faculty members with documented research accomplishments including peer-reviewed journal, conference papers, and presentations as well as evidence of scholarly collaboration with other institutions and/or corporations. The distinction lasts for three years and comes with a $20,000 annual stipend for research activities such as travel, research assistants, equipment, and supplies. Finally, Melody Baglione was appointed the inaugural IDC Foundation Distinguished Professor. This named professorship goes to mid-career, tenured, associate, or full professor faculty members with documented research accomplishments in the interdisciplinary building, design, and construction field, as well as evidence of collaborations with other institutions and/or corporations. The distinction lasts for three years and comes with a $20,000 annual stipend for research activities such as travel, research assistants, equipment, and supplies.

In the area of foreshadowing, I want to share that this will be my last year as the dean of the Albert Nerken School of Engineering. At the end of this year, I will have served as Dean of Engineering for seven-and-a-half years. A Dean of Engineering Faculty Search Committee has been formed, which is being led by Professor Melody Baglione. I wanted to share this information with this community, as I have already shared it with the faculty and students here at Cooper and the advertisement and other search activities will begin in earnest in the fall semester. For this last year, you should not expect any change in my commitment to either Cooper Union or the Albert Nerken School of Engineering. I will continue to drive educational innovation, leading-edge pedagogies, experimentation in the curriculum, and foster a positive culture for students and faculty. In the words of Bruno Mars from Uptown Funk– “Don’t believe me, just watch!”

I encourage you to take some time to read the articles included in this newsletter. You will find inspiring articles highlighting the accomplishments of students, faculty and staff, and a sampling of the vibrancy of all that is going on in the School of Engineering.

Thank you for sharing a seat and some time with me on Shoop’s Stoop! It continues to be an exciting time to be part of the Albert Nerken School of Engineering. I look forward to sharing additional updates in future editions.

Barry L. Shoop, Ph.D., P.E. |  Dean of Engineering  |  Albert Nerken School of Engineering

Welcome back to the East Village, 41 Cooper Square, and Shoop’s Stoop! We made it! We successfully completed another academic year. It’s time for me to share just a few of the exciting things that happened in the Albert Nerken School of Engineering since my last update.

The Cooper Union’s 165th Commencement on May 29, 2025, was a wonderful celebration of our amazing graduates. This year, we had a total of 115 undergraduate students and 30 graduate students graduate from the School of Engineering. Among our undergraduates, this included 24 chemical engineers, 26 civil engineers, 33 electrical engineers, 26 mechanical engineers, and 6 general engineers. In addition to the undergraduate degrees, members of this graduating class were awarded a total of 43 minors: 2 in mathematics, 19 in computer science, 18 in bioengineering, 6 in chemistry, and 7 HSS minors. I might also note that six of our students completed the Dual Degree Master’s Program, where the bachelor’s and master’s degree are awarded simultaneously after four years of study!

Our students continue to hit it out of the park at external competitions. Our Steel Bridge Team emerged above 15 other schools participating in the 2025 ASCE Student Symposium which was held at NJIT. Specific placement included:

AISC Student Steel Bridge Competition:

• Overall: Third Place
• Lightness: First Place
• Stiffness: First Place
• Structural Efficiency: First Place

ASCE 3D Printing: Bridging the Future Competition:

• Overall: Second Place
• Best Structural Efficiency Prediction
• Best Design
• Fastest Team Construction Time

The Daniel W. MEAD Student Paper first place award went to Sinclair Kennedy-Nolle CE’26.

On April 26, the Cooper Union “Solar Decathlon” team presented at the U.S. Department of Energy Buildings NEXT Team Showcase held at the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) in Golden, Colorado. At the recognition ceremony, our team took the highest prize this year, an Honorable Mention for “Integrated Design.”

Our Fall 2025 incoming first-year class is again very strong. We admitted 134 students to the Class of 2029. There will be 25 students majoring in chemical engineering, 27 in civil engineering, 21 in computer science, 29 in electrical engineering, and 32 in mechanical engineering. Women comprise 36% of this incoming class. Additionally, 23% self-identified as the first in their family to attend college, and 11% of the class is international. Of these undergraduates, 88% submitted standardized test scores with an average SAT score of 1489 and an average Math SAT score of 767. By all measures, this is yet another very strong entering class! In addition, we have 36 entering Master of Engineering students this year.

This past year has been a particularly busy year for full-time faculty hiring. In Fall 2025, we will add five new tenure-track faculty members:

• In Physics, we will add Dr. Emily Palmer who received the Ph.D. from Caltech, the B.S. from Johns Hopkins University, and she served as a postdoctoral fellow at Cornell University. Her research areas include insect flight, fluid dynamics governing wind and ocean energy, the biomechanics underlying human walking, and the electrochemistry of neuronal communication.
• In Civil Engineering, we will welcome Dr. David Kim who received the Ph.D. from Yale University, the B.S. from Columbia University, and was most recently a postdoctoral fellow at MIT. His research areas are in electrochemical methods for water and wastewater treatment.
• In Electrical Engineering, we will add Dr. Stella Banou who received the Ph.D. from Northeastern University, the B.S. from WPI, and was most recently a postdoctoral fellow at NYU. Her research areas include novel wireless communications for remote health monitoring and diagnosis.
• In Mechanical Engineering, we will welcome Dr. Martin Lawless who received the Ph.D. from Penn State University, the B.E. from Cooper Union, and was most recently an Assistant Professor at SUNY Maritime. His research areas are in acoustics, psychoacoustics, architectural acoustics.
• In Chemistry, we will welcome Dr. Tommy George who most recently completed the Ph.D. from Harvard University and whose research areas include electrochemistry, electroanalytical experimental methods, decarbonization toward climate sustainability. 

If anyone is keeping track, since arriving at Cooper, I have hired 16 new tenure-track faculty in the School of Engineering. With the new Computer Science Program, this number is quickly approaching 50% of the tenured and tenure-track faculty. In 2013, the composition of the tenured and tenure-track faculty in the School of Engineering was 6.3% women and in Fall 2025 it will remain 42% women!

Thank you again for sharing your valuable time with me on Shoop’s Stoop! I look forward to sharing additional updates in future editions of Shoop’s Stoop! From all of us at Cooper, enjoy your summer!

Barry L. Shoop, Ph.D., P.E. |  Dean of Engineering  |  Albert Nerken School of Engineering

Hello from the East Village and welcome to the latest installment of Shoop’s Stoop!

This week, we will notify next year’s first-year applicants of our admission decisions. This year’s applications were again very strong. We had a 43% increase in the total number of applicants from 2024 and a 102% increase from 2019. Including early decision, regular decision, and deferrals, we have admitted a total of 275 students to the School of Engineering. This admitted class includes students who will join the new CS Program in the fall. Even though we continue to be test optional, 90% of the admitted class submitted standardized test scores, and the average SAT score for Math is 777 and 739 for Reading. By all measures, this year’s admitted class is very strong.

We had 19 students receive their master’s degree in December and we are on track for an additional 25 in May. Among those 25, six will complete the dual degree program, earning both their undergraduate and graduate degrees simultaneously. For next year, we have nine students who have applied for the dual degree program to complete in 2026. This would be the largest group of dual degree recipients in over ten years.

Our Summer Study Abroad Program is again shaping up nicely. Students have applied for programs in Germany, Spain, Singapore, and Guatemala. We will also have two students who intend to attend a program in Israel. As part of the Summer Study Abroad Program, participating institutions can send students to Cooper Union for a semester. In the fall semester, we will welcome one exchange student from Germany.

Our students are actively engaging in professional development activities outside of Cooper. We had students attend the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Annual Convention in Chicago, IL, and students presented their research at the American Physical Society (APS) Global Physics Summit in Anaheim, CA, the Joint Mathematics Meeting in Seattle, WA, and the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS) 2025 Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. In April, five students will present their research at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in Pittsburgh, PA.

Our faculty are also very engaged in professional development activities. We had faculty attend the International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) Conference in Abu Dhabi, UAE, the AiChE Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA, Project Catalyst Educational Workshop at Bucknell University, the American Chemical Society (ACS) Conference, Arts in Research Conference in Pittsburg, PA, NSBE, NCUR, and the Naval Academy Science and Engineering Conference, to name a few.

This has been a very busy year for faculty hiring. With the launch of the new CS Program, we had two senior faculty members move from the EE Department to the CS Department, so we are hiring to fill those two vacated EE positions. We are also hiring one new CS faculty member who will hold a joint appointment with the Center for Computational Mathematics at the Simons Foundation Flatiron Institute. Additionally, as a result of two retirements, we will be hiring faculty for CE and ME. Over the past month we have had 14 candidates for these positions come to campus as part of the interview process. The great news is that we have some exceptional candidates for these positions!

This year we are thrilled to be partnering with the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) for their 75th anniversary celebration. Did you know? SWE was founded at Cooper Union’s Green Camp! “Celebrating Women in Engineering: 75 Years of Innovation and Advocacy” will be held on May 6, 2025, from 6:00-7:30 pm in The Great Hall. Astronaut and TikTok star Kellie Girardi will deliver a keynote address followed by a panel discussion with SWE collegiate and professional members sharing stories of women in engineering past, present, and future. Panelists include Jill Tietjen, a SWE past president, Inaas Darrat, SWE president-elect, Troy Eller English, SWE archivist, and Lizelle Ocfemia, president of The Cooper Union's SWE student chapter. Current SWE President Karen Roth will moderate the panel discussion. This event will also be livestreamed. You can find out more about this event and register here.

Thank you for sharing your valuable time with me on Shoop’s Stoop! I look forward to sharing additional updates in future editions of Shoop’s Stoop!

Barry L. Shoop, Ph.D., P.E.  |  Dean of Engineering  |  Albert Nerken School of Engineering 

As we end the fall semester and anticipate a much-needed winter break, I wanted to share a few of the activities in the Albert Nerken School of Engineering since our last newsletter in October.

We continue to innovate and improve our curriculum and enhance our students’ experience. On October 22, the Engineering Curriculum Committee met to consider several curricular changes including the addition of several courses. The Department of Physics proposed the addition of a new elective course — Ph342 Quantum Entanglement: Theory and Application. The Department of Chemistry proposed the addition of a new elective course — Ch435 Organometallic Chemistry. The Department of Electrical Engineering proposed the addition of a new elective course — ECE458 Quantum Computing. And the Department of Chemical Engineering proposed the addition of two new elective courses — ChE432 Phase Transitions: Simulations and Applications, and ChE444 Computational Modeling of Materials and Molecules. The addition of these elective courses provides our students with the opportunity to engage in important emerging areas and to deepen their understanding of important concepts.

On September 24, 2024, we published a request for proposals (RFP) for the 2024 Dean’s Innovation Grants. A total of 26 Innovation Grant proposals were received from faculty, students, staff, and combinations of these groups. While all of the proposals were creative and supported the strategic plan, new interdisciplinary courses, or student success, the ones that received funding had broad and lasting impact — many across multiple departments and schools — and included combinations of faculty, staff, and students. Nine of these projects were funded through the Dean’s Innovation Grant, for a total of $30,000. There were an additional five proposals that were requests for equipment purchases or faculty professional development totaling over $12k. Overall, 14 of the 26 projects were funded for a total of over $42k. Among the funded proposals was one that will integrate augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) enhanced learning into a civil engineering materials course, another that will transform a traditional classroom into a reconfigurable classroom to improve teaching pedagogy, and yet another that will create a new civil engineering elective course focused on data analytics for mitigating disaster risk in New York City. Another proposal that received funding was one that will create a series of workshops across architecture, art, and engineering on creative coding where the goal is to create something expressive rather than purely functional. We are excited to see all of these funded proposals come to fruition. The Dean’s Innovation Grant Program has enlisted the creativity and innovation of our faculty, students, and staff, resulting in substantive and lasting contributions to our curriculum and the foundational principles and goals that are guiding our organization.

Since our last newsletter, the Cooper Union received a three-year grant from the IDC Foundation for nearly $1M over three years. This grant will support activities at the intersection of engineering and architecture focused on the built environment. Among other things, this grant will support two new IDC Foundation Distinguished Professors, one in the School of Engineering and one in the School of Architecture. These Distinguished Professors will elevate and inspire exceptional faculty leaders to advance the building and construction fields.

Thank you again for sharing your valuable time with me on Shoop’s Stoop! You should know that these are just a few of the highlights – the tips of the waves – of activities in a vibrant educational ecosystem. There are many more great things happening in the Albert Nerken School of Engineering. I look forward to sharing additional updates in future editions of Shoop’s Stoop!

As we come to the close of 2024, I would like to remind you of the United for Cooper campaign to raise $1.1 million by December 31 which is fueled by three generous donors where every dollar will be matched. Please consider a matched gift today!

On behalf of the entire faculty and staff of the Albert Nerken School of Engineering, we wish you a joyous holiday season and a peaceful and prosperous New Year!

Barry L. Shoop, Ph.D., P.E.  |  Dean of Engineering  |  Albert Nerken School of Engineering