Bio: Dr. Joya A. Cooley double-majored in music (B.A.) and chemistry (B.S.) at Furman University in Greenville, SC. After graduating, she pursued a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry under the direction of Prof. Susan Kauzlarich at The University of California, Davis, studying the synthesis, characterization, and structure of solid materials towards thermoelectric applications. After earning her Ph.D., she completed postdoctoral work with Prof. Ram Seshadri designing, synthesizing, and characterizing magnetocaloric materials. In the Fall of 2020, she began her independent career in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at California State University, Fullerton.

Email: jcooley [at] fullerton.edu

Hometown: Irmo, SC

Fun Fact: I love live music and have seen my favorite band, Less Than Jake, in concert 50 times.

Current CV (June 2026)