Tyrik Cooper, a Savannah, GA native, is a Ph.D. student in Forestry and Environmental Resources at NC State University, where his research focuses on intercropping industrial hemp within loblolly pine plantations. He earned his B.S. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Shorter University, where he also pitched for the baseball team. Before graduate school, Tyrik aspired to be a veterinarian and worked as a veterinary technician for two years before shifting his focus to environmental research. He later completed his M.S. in Forestry and Environmental Resources at NC State in 2021. Outside of research, Tyrik enjoys sports, riding motorcycles, skateboarding, fishing, hiking, gardening, and puzzles.
