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Bio

Dr. Coolen is an inclusive, collaborative, and innovative academic leader and a creative and strategic forward thinker, with more than 15 years of administrative and leadership experience in research administration, academic affairs, and student affairs. She has held leadership positions at large comprehensive research-intensive academic institutions and at public STEM- and health-specialized institutions. She applies her personal strengths as a team and community builder to her passion of supporting student, trainee, and faculty success and wellness, building vibrant and inclusive culture for applied lifelong learning and scientific discovery. Throughout her career, it has been her passion to teach, mentor, champion, and inspire scholars and scientists and support their research, creative activities, education, and career development. She serves as a champion for workforce and economic development, advocate for humanities and liberal arts, and is a strong supporter of STEM and healthrelated disciplines.

Dr. Coolen currently serves as Vice President for Research at New Mexico Tech, overseeing all research activities and funding across the university, including twelve Research Centers, sponsored projects, research safety and compliance, and tech transfer and commercialization. She also serves as Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic affairs at New Mexico, overseeing academic programs and faculty affairs.

Dr. Coolen is a neuroscientist with biomedical research focus in reproductive neuroendocrinology and spinal cord injury and has held faculty positions at New Mexico Tech, Kent State University, University of Mississippi Medical Center, University of Michigan, University of Western Ontario, and University of Cincinnati. She has received numerous awards for her research, teaching, and mentoring, and has been awarded federal funding for her research for over 25 years. She has published 145 original peer-reviewed publications and book chapters describing her neuroscience research, has been widely cited and is recognized as one of the world’s top 2% scientists in her field by Elsevier and Stanford University.

Dr. Coolen received Bachelor of Science and Masters degrees in Psychology from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, a PhD in Medical Biology/Neuroscience from the Radboud University in Nijmegen in the Netherlands, completed postdoctoral training at Yale University and the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and earned an Executive Master of Business Administration degree at Kent State University.