Michele Cooke, professor and graduate program director for geosciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, is the recipient of its 2020 Diversity Inclusive Geoscience Education and Research Award from the International Association for Geoscience.
The association recognized Professor Cooke for her work as a “foundational leader in accessible and inclusive geoscience teaching in both the classroom and field for over 20 years, all while maintaining a successful research career in geomechanics and structural geology and as a strong advocate for accessibility and inclusion not only within your department and college, but also in geoscience education abroad.”
“Improving inclusion and access permeates every aspect of my teaching and service,” Dr. Cooke said. ‘The framework of universal design in teaching posits that we can find ways to teach that allow all students full access and equal participation. If we can take this framework and universal design academia, then we may see real strides for equity and inclusion.”
Professor Cooke joined the faculty at the University of Massachusetts in 1999 after teaching at the Univerity of Wisconsin-Madison. She is a graduate of Princeton University, where she majored in geological engineering. Professor Cooke earned a master’s degree in civil engineering and a Ph.D. in geological and environmental sciences from Stanford University.