Like many great honors, it began with a missed phone call and an email asking if there was time to chat.

Soon enough, Michigan State’s Melanie Cooper had gotten the good news — she’d been elected to the National Academy of Education.

“It was a thrill and honor,” said Cooper, a professor of chemistry and Lappan-Phillips Professor of Science Education in the College of Natural Science and College of Education.

“I was blown away.”

For nearly 60 years, the academy has championed educational research to improve educational policy and practice in the classroom.

"I am tremendously impressed with the research-based work MSU faculty members like Professor Cooper are doing to transform instruction in the science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM, disciplines,” MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz said. “Dr. Cooper’s work in chemistry has impacted thousands of Spartan students, and her influence among her higher education peers is a testament to Spartan research excellence."

Cooper, whose pioneering research continues to reshape students’ chemistry learning at MSU and beyond, is one of 14 new members of the academy.

She joins internationally recognized educational leaders and scholars from institutions such as the University of Michigan, the University of Virigina, and Boston’s Museum of Science.