Arthur ("Art") W. Cooper received bachelor and master of arts degrees in 1953 and 1955 from Colgate University and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1958. He then became a professor at North Carolina State University. In North Carolina, he developed a friendship with botanist B. W. Wells. Cooper eventually headed NCSU's Department of Forestry (1979-1994). Among the many activities he participated in retirement is his involvement in the saving and moving of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.
From the guide to the Arthur W. Cooper Papers, 1955 - 1999, (Special Collections Research Center)