Dr. Samuel Cooper

Assistant Professor

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Biography

Samuel E. Cooper is an Assistant Professor at Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin. He is a clinical psychological scientist and cognitive neuroscientist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Samuel received his B.A. from Hunter College, City University of New York and earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. He completed a predoctoral clinical internship at the VA Maryland Health Care System, specializing in trauma recovery. His postdoctoral training focused on cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging at Dell Med, where he employed computational approaches to decode multivariate functional MRI data related to emotional learning and memory tasks. His research aims to understand maladaptive threat learning and memory mechanisms, particularly in adults and adolescents experiencing trauma and anxiety. Current research interests include mapping neurobehavioral mechanisms of fear and their contribution to maladaptive behaviors, characterizing anxiety-related psychopathology, and exploring the interplay between prefrontal and subcortical interactions that predispose adolescents to pervasive fear and anxiety. Samuel is committed to advancing mentorship and improving quantitative methods across disciplines, enhancing the replicability of research findings in clinical and neural sciences.

Research Interests

Experience

Assistant Professor

2023-01-01 — Present

Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin • Austin, TX

Teaching and conducting research in clinical psychology and cognitive neuroscience.

Awards

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K23 Career Development Award

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F32 National Research Service Award

Requirements for University of Texas at Austin

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Listening
Required:25
Reading
Required:25
Writing
Required:25
Speaking
Required:25
Total
Required:100
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution Introductory statistics course (grade C or higher) Volunteer or paid work in social work or related field
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Official transcripts
  • Professional resume
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Research methods syllabus (if applicable)
Specialization Notes

Department: Department of Social Work. Note: GRE is not required for the PhD program.