Mary Ann Cooper, MD, Professor Emerita of Emergency Medicine, retired from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) in 2008. As a professor at UIC, she held additional faculty appointments in the Neurology and Bioengineering Departments. Dr Cooper received her medical degree from Michigan State University and completed her residency in emergency medicine at the University of Cincinnati. As an early leader in emergency medicine, Dr Cooper participated in writing the initial training and accreditation standards for training in the specialty of emergency medicine, was an oral board examiner for over a decade, held fellowships in several emergency medicine organizations and was the first woman to be elected president of a national society in emergency medicine.

At UIC, in addition to practicing clinical emergency medicine for two decades, Dr. Cooper directed the Lightning Injury Research Program which was active in basic and clinical research, education and lightning injury prevention. Dr Cooper has been active with the Lightning Strike and Electric Shock Survivors, International support group since its inception and serves on its Board of Directors. She is the acknowledged international medical expert on lightning injuries and injury prevention.

Mary Ann Cooper, MD, profesora emérita de Medicina de Emergencia, se retiró de la Universidad de Illinois en Chicago (UIC) en 2008. Como profesor de la UIC, ocupó cargos docentes adicionales en los Departamentos de Neurología y Bioingeniería. Dr. Cooper recibió su título de médico en la Universidad Estatal de Michigan y completó su residencia en medicina de emergencia en la Universidad de Cincinnati. Dr. Cooper participó en la redacción de las normas de formación y acreditación inicial para la formación en la especialidad de medicina de emergencia, y fue la primera mujer para ser elegida presidente de una sociedad nacional en medicina de emergencia. 

En la UIC, además de la práctica de la medicina clínica de emergencia durante dos décadas, el Dr. Cooper dirigió el Programa de Investigación de Lesiones del rayo. Ella es experta mundial reconocida en lesiones producidas por rayos y su prevención.