Erin Cooney

Erin Cooney is an Assistant Adjunct Professor in the Department of European Languages and Transcultural Studies at UCLA, specializing in Environmental Humanities, Food Studies, and Media Arts. She holds an MFA from UCLA's Design Media Arts and a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Notre Dame. Her research bridges art, ecology, and social justice through multimedia installations and community-based projects. Notable works include Aire Libre (2025), examining air pollution's impact on marginalized communities, and Counterforce Lab’s Biophilia Treehouse (2022), fostering biodiversity in urban spaces. She has been an Associate Director of UCLA’s Counterforce Lab and a Sci-Art Ambassador at Supercollider.

Cooney’s teaching focuses on experimental humanities courses addressing ecological crisis, food justice, and environmental justice. Her affiliations include UCLA’s Rothman Family Institute for Food Studies and Counterforce Lab. Recent exhibitions include I AM A RIVER (2025) at Shatto Gallery and Aire Libre at the Torrance Art Museum. Her work emphasizes collaboration with community organizations like East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice and CONTRA-TIEMPO Activist Dance Company.

Awards include her role as Sci-Art Ambassador (2021-22) and recognition for interdisciplinary art-science projects. Her grants and collaborations highlight transdisciplinary approaches to environmental challenges, blending artistic practice with academic research.