About

Keith D. Cooper is the L. John and Ann H. Doerr Professor in Computational Engineering at Rice University, with his primary appointment in the Department of Computer Science. His research has focused on program analysis and optimization, and he was one of the founding members of the compiler group at Rice University. He continues to be an active researcher and mentor in this field. Dr. Cooper has authored more than 75 technical publications and has supervised the completion of 18 Ph.D. students. He is recognized as a Fellow of the ACM. His educational background includes a PhD, MA, and BS from Rice University, with his PhD earned in 1983 in Mathematical Sciences. In addition to his research, he has been honored with the L. John and Ann H. Doerr Chair in Computational Engineering and the George R. Brown Award for Superior Teaching at Rice University.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Programming language
• Theoretical computer science
• Parallel computing
• Operating system

Selected publications

• The clash for cosmology’s soul

  Physics World · 2025-09-01

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Will modified gravity be the solution to our cosmological conundrums as dark matter wimps out, or will new experiments and telescopes finally spot the elusive particle once and for all? In the third and final part of this series, Keith Cooper speaks to scientists on both sides of this stellar showdown.

  PublisherDOI

• Sagittarius A* magnetism revealed

  Physics World · 2024-06-01

  article1st authorCorresponding

  The magnetic field of the Milky Way’s black hole is surprisingly similar to that of the black hole at the centre of the galaxy Messier 87, as Keith Cooper reports.

  PublisherDOI

• Cosmic combat: the rise of modified gravity

  Physics World · 2024-03-01 · 1 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding

  In the search for a cosmological model that perfectly explains our universe, most astronomers invoke the notion of dark matter. But what if they should instead modify the age-old laws of gravity? In the first of a three-part series, Keith Cooper explores the struggles and successes of modified gravity in explaining phenomena at varying galactic scales, as well as matching observations from the cosmic microwave background.

  PublisherDOI

• Intermediate Representations

  Elsevier eBooks · 2022 · 2 citations

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Computer Science
  • Computer Science
  • Programming language
  PublisherDOI

• Instruction Selection

  Elsevier eBooks · 2022-09-09 · 1 citations

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Runtime Optimization

  Elsevier eBooks · 2022-09-09

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Data-Flow Analysis

  Elsevier eBooks · 2022-09-09 · 1 citations

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Scanners

  Elsevier eBooks · 2022-09-09

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Parsers

  Elsevier eBooks · 2022-09-09

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Register Allocation

  Elsevier eBooks · 2022 · 3 citations

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Computer Science
  • Computer Science
  • Parallel computing
  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Information Technology Research (ITR): Virtual Grid Application Development Software (VGrADS)

  NSF · $8.3M · 2003–2009

• ITR: Building Practical Compilers Based on Adaptive Search

  NSF · $1.6M · 2002–2008

• Introducing Parallelism into Scripting Languages through Generalized Data Distributions and Library Preprocessing

  NSF · $925k · 2004–2008

Frequent coauthors

• Linda Torczon

  78 shared

• Ken Kennedy

  46 shared

• Timothy J. Harvey

  23 shared

• Preston Briggs

  Quinnipiac University

  14 shared

• Devika Subramanian

  Rice University

  13 shared

• John Mellor‐Crummey

  Rice University

  11 shared

• Todd Waterman

  Texas Instruments (United States)

  11 shared

• Alexander Grosul

  Rice University

  10 shared

Labs

• Keith D. Cooper's LabPI

  Not provided

Education

• Doctor of Philosophy, Mathematical Science

  Rice University

  1983

• Master of Arts, Mathematical Sciences

  Rice University

  1982

• Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering

  Rice University

  1978

Awards & honors

• L. John and Ann H. Doerr Chair in Computational Engineering,…
• George R. Brown Award for Superior Teaching, Rice University…
• Fellow of the ACM