UW-La Crosse professor named Wis. Professor of the Year

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) -

UW-La Crosse Biology Professor Scott Cooper was named the 2014 Wisconsin Professor of the Year.

The recognition comes from The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

Cooper was selected from nearly 400 top professors in the U.S. He will be honored in Washington, D.C. on Thursday.

"I never would have predicted this, Cooper said. I was surprised to get nominated, then it was ten times more surprising to actually get the award. It's all been a surreal experience."

Cooper has been a biology professor for nearly 20 years. Between 20-30 students partner with him in research each semester. In January 2011, Cooper took a half-time appointment as UW-Ls director of Undergraduate Research & Creativity. He is also chair of the Wisconsin System Council on Undergraduate Research and helped launch a teaching model where faculty can share assignments and lecture materials with those teaching intro biology courses.

Cooper said the best part about being a scientist is the moment of discovery.

"I like what I'm doing, and I don't have any plans to be doing anything different ten years from now, Cooper said.

This is the third time in the last four years that a UW-L professor has been named Wisconsin Professor of the Year. History Professor Greg Wegner won the award in 2011 and History Professor Victor M. Marcias-Gonzalez won the award in 2013.

View original post here:
UW-La Crosse professor named Wis. Professor of the Year