Dr. Cooper also takes part in programs and speaking engagements to encourage young women and others from underrepresented communities to pursue careers in science and technology.

[2] Cooper was born in 1985 in New Jersey to a Korean mother and African-American father, and World War II veteran.

[1][4] Cooper's dissertation focused on non-equilibrium plasma sterilization of spacecraft materials, enabling her to obtain a position with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's (JPL) Planetary Protection Group in 2011.

[6][7] In her talk at the Yakima Town Hall in October 2022, Cooper attributed her passion for exploring space to Carl Sagan's 1980s "Cosmos" series, which included a book and a TV show.

[12] Cooper was a panelist in "The Original Martian Invasion", a 2017 episode of the television series Bill Nye Saves the World.