Cooper Morgan
CS Master's '26 | Dev Intern @ SPIE
Timeline
Experiences
Relocating to Akureyri, Iceland
Seeking software engineering roles in Akureyri.
MS in Computer Science @ WWU
- GPA: 4.0
MS in Computer Science @ WWU
Western Washington University
- Thesis: Frameworks for Adversarial DNS Exfiltration Detection.
- Currently taking graduate courses in Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Robotics.
PAST BS in Computer Science
- Minor in Anthropology
Graduate Research Assistant @ WWU
AI for Adversarial Cybersecurity, Western Washington University
- Designed and built a novel adversarial framework in Python that outperformed state-of-the-art detection methods, validating results against real municipal network data with cross-dataset validation.
- Developed a novel encoding scheme, rethinking adversarial DNS Exfiltration by using combinatorial mathematics to optimize data transmission through structural patterns rather than payload manipulation.
- Implemented reinforcement learning and LSTM models to optimize system configurations and mimic realistic network behavior, maximizing throughput while evading detection.
- Engineered concurrent data pipelines for simulating, parsing, and validating large volumes of DNS records.
PAST Undergraduate Research Assistant
Systems Research Group
- Led development of the Vulkan Synthetic Vision System for Raspberry Pi 5 using Go.
- Collaborated with a multidisciplinary research team, driving meetings and aligning technical direction with project objectives.
Graduate Teaching Assistant @ WWU
CS Department, Western Washington University
- Taught Computer Systems 1 lab across 4 sections (~100+ students), grading code, tests, and written assignments, and holding office hours.
- Graded assignments for CSCI 447: Operating Systems.
PAST Teaching Assistant
CS Department
- Taught CSCI 247: Computer Systems 1 Lab across 2 sections, grading assignments and holding office hours.
Software Developer Intern @ SPIE
- Designed the frontend architecture for SPIE's Digital Library, building a React/TypeScript component library that coordinated React Islands via a Redux global store, allowing for consistent UI/UX across the platform.
- Refactored legacy model-bound views into well-structured API and Entity Controllers in C#/ASP.NET MVC.
- Redesigned the Digital Library's session system end-to-end, from frontend state to backend authentication controllers.
- Decreased page load times by 90% through Webpack bundle optimizations, lazy loading, and Redis caching.
BS in Computer Science @ WWU
- Minor in Anthropology
- GPA: 3.90
People's Choice Award @ WWU
Project: Vulkan Synthetic Vision System. Faculty Spotlight
Software Developer @ WWU
CS Department, Western Washington University
- Spearheaded backend development as the sole backend developer using Python (Django) with frontend development in TypeScript (React), integrating with Canvas LMS.
- Conducted qualitative research by interviewing faculty about grading workflows and instructor-TA communication processes.
- Designed backend architecture and RESTful API endpoints for grading, feedback, and course management operations.
Program Support Staff @ WWU
Financial Aid, Western Washington University
- Automated data processing workflows in Go and Python, with PDF processing, reducing manual review by 10 hours weekly.
- Created a duplicate-checking system that identified matching SSNs and names, saving over 200 hours of manual review over the summer and reducing human error in data verification.
- Partnered with team members to identify and automate repetitive workflows, increasing efficiency and accuracy.
- Engineered a flexible document processing framework with configuration-based rule management, enabling non-technical staff to update processing logic independently.
Moved to Bellingham, WA, USA
Began my education and software journey at WWU.