Cooper is New OPA Fellow

The APS has hired David Cooper as a science policy fellow in its Office of Public Affairs in downtown Washington, DC. Cooper replaces Susan B. Ginsberg, who is now at the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate. He will work with the OPA staff to advance science policy issues on Capitol Hill, focusing on the federal budget for science and technology research and on education issues.

"It was a very natural step," says Cooper, who comes to the APS after four years working on science policy issues at the American Association for the Advancement of Science's Center for Science, Technology, and Congress. His duties included holding briefings for congressional staffers, producing a newsletter on science policy issues, and undertaking other activities aimed at raising visibility of the scientific community and increasing their impact on the Hill.

He will be doing similar things for the APS, but is looking forward to focusing on more specialized topics. "AAAS was very broad in scope," he says. "One day I'd be working on stem cell research, another on NASA, and a third day on K-12 education. It was a great experience, but I'm ready to narrow the focus."

Cooper earned his B.A. in physics from Haverford College, after considering a major in political science. He wasn't sure he wanted to pursue graduate studies in physics, and opted to spend a few years in DC, combining his love for science with his interest in politics. "I wasn't sure if this was something I wanted to do long term, but it's worked out well for me," he says.