Dr. Lique Coolen, Vice President for Research 

Dr. Coolen joined New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico Tech) in January 2025. She serves as Vice President for Research overseeing all research activities and funding across New Mexico Tech, including ten Research Centers, sponsored projects, research safety and compliance, and tech transfer and commercialization. Since August 2025 she also serves as Provost and Vice President for Academic affairs at New Mexico, overseeing all academic programs and faculty affairs.

A neuroscientist with academic leadership experience, she previously served as Associate Dean of Research and Faculty Development, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, director of the School of Biomedical Sciences, director of the Office of Postdoctoral Studies at Kent State University, and as Associate Dean of Postdoctoral and Professional Development and director of Research Development at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Most recently prior to joining New Mexico Tech, Dr. Coolen served in the Division of Academic Affairs as Assistant for Special Projects to the Provost and Senior Vice President at Kent State University, where she directed numerous initiatives to enhance student enrollment and workforce development for STEM trainees, to enrich professional development for postdoctoral trainees and faculty, and to develop projects for economic and community engagement. In addition, she served as Assistant Director of the Brain Health Research Institute at Kent State University where she developed and directed a neuro-imagining core facility and undergraduate student research program. Finally, she has held multiple leadership roles in professional societies and currently serves on Council for the Society of Experimental Biology and Medicine, Science Policy Council for the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, and as Chair of the Neuroscience Training Committee for the Society for Neuroscience and develops professional development and responsible conduct of research curriculum for students, faculty, and administrators in higher education.

Dr. Coolen holds faculty positions in the Biology and Class departments at New Mexico Tech and has previously held faculty positions at the University of Cincinnati, University of Western Ontario, University of Michigan, University of Mississippi Medical Center, and most recently at Kent State University. She has mentored 30 graduate students,17 postdoctoral fellows and over 50 undergraduate and high school students in her research laboratory. She has received numerous awards for her research, teaching, and mentoring and has published over 140 original peer-reviewed publications and book chapters describing her research on neuroendocrine function, spinal cord injury, and drug addiction. Her research has been continuously funded by multiple federal agencies and foundations and is currently funded by the National Institute of Health. Dr. Coolen’s research has been widely cited with an H-index of 59 and she 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 an Executive Master of Business Administration degree at Kent State University.

Contact Information for Dr. Lique Coolen

Mailing Address:

Dr. Lique Coolen

Office of Research

New Mexico Tech

801 Leroy Place

Brown Hall, 200C

Socorro, NM 87801

E-mail: lique.coolen@nmt.edu

Phone: 575-835-5650