Professor Cooper regularly teaches the following courses:


Mechanical Engineering Manufacturing Concentration

Chair of the Manufacturing Concentration Committee The cross-disciplinary Manufacturing Concentration (MC) is designed to help create leaders in advanced manufacturing for future research and industry positions. It allows students to take both free electives and advanced technical electives that lead to the MC being added to the BSE degree. This concentration is open to undergraduates pursuing a degree in the Mechanical Engineering department. See the Education page of the Mechanical Engineering Manufacturing website for more details.


ME250 Design & Manufacturing I

Co-Instructor Creating and making things is what engineers do. Students in ME250 develop engineering thinking and basic mechanical engineering skills in design and manufacturing. We study design processes, CAD and engineering drawings, free-hand sketching and ideation techniques, material selection, mechanical elements (e.g., gears, bearings, springs, motors), manufacturing processes, hands-on machine tool practice, and prototype fabrication. ME250 Syllabus

ME250 Co-Instructor Design & Manuf. I


ME481 Manufacturing Processes

Instructor This course examines how components are made, highlighting the choice of processing options, process settings, and process performance using metrics of cost, quality, time, flexibility, environmental impacts, and the influence of processes on the final mechanical properties of the product. The course includes mathematical modeling of manufacturing processes used in industry to manufacture mechanical systems: machining, deformation, 3d printing and powder processing, joining, surface treatment, and solidification and heat treatment processes. The material systems discussed in the course include metals, polymers, ceramics, and composites. ME481 Syllabus

ME481 Instructor Manufacturing Processes


ME599-1 Metals Processing

Instructor This course examines how metal components are made, highlighting the choice of processing options and parameters based on material properties and part design. We focus on metal forming plasticity: elastic and plastic stress-strain relations; yield criteria and flow rules; analyses of various plastic forming operations; and the effects of hardening and friction, temperature, strain rate, anisotropy. We will also examine other key metals processing options: casting, machining and additive manufacturing. Students will analyze processes using some of the key equations governing product quality (e.g., dimensional accuracy), process rate, and manufacturing energy intensity. Metals processing is a significant contributor to global energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions; we will also examine material production, end-of-life options, and explore emerging paradigms in sustainable metals processing. Class Syllabus

ME599-1 Instructor Metals Manufacturing


ME599-2 Foundations of Smart Additive Manufacturing

Co-Instructor This course provides foundational knowledge and skills in smart additive manufacturing. Specifically, it covers: AM workflow, processes and applications; design and verification; material characterization and processing; monitoring, diagnostics and control; and lifecycle economic and environmental considerations, all with emphasis on practice. The connections of these topics to smart manufacturing technologies is be specifically highlighted. Hands-on labs and industrial case studies will be used to reinforce the course material. The course is team-taught by five co-instructors. ME599 Syllabus

ME599-2 Co-Instructor Additive Manuf.