Cooper (Zhengyuan Gao) was born and grew up in Guangzhou (China). As a child, apart from being locked into an educational regime that focused on intellectual development, Cooper was interested in playing video games and reading manga. Though he was not an outstanding student, his best subjects were politics (mainly Chinese and Greek philosophy at the time) and mathematics during his middle school years. However, his interest in politics waned once he entered high school, and he faced a difficult decision between pursuing astronomy or mathematics for his higher education. Ultimately, his love for the local beef noodles in Xi'an (China) and his desire to acquire quantitative tools for analysing social issues led him to study mathematics there. However, his program specialised in information and engineering computation, prompting him to switch his focus to econometrics for his graduate studies. This journey took him to Southampton (United Kingdom), Amsterdam (The Netherlands), New Haven (United States), and back to Amsterdam.
After completing his Ph.D. study in Amsterdam, Cooper became an associate professor in Chengdu (China), although he primarily spent his time in Iowa City (United States) as a visiting assistant Professor. While in Iowa City, he frequented various cafes, immersing himself in the discussions of multiple writing groups. During this period, his interests gradually shifted towards broader topics in social science beyond economics. Seeking a stable research environment, Cooper relocated to Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium) where he continued teaching econometrics. While his passion for econometrics dwindled, he reheated some of his scientific passion and got attracted by many Belgian conventions. His academic contract ended at the same time as his first academic paper got published.
In 2019, Cooper returned to China, dedicating two years to the creation of a comprehensive reading material symbolising quantitative relations in socio- economics. However, he decided not to finalise the project at the last moment, instead choosing an alternative approach to convey his ideas. Over the next two years, he published two novels set in an imaginative world that offered lighthearted perspectives on abstract social, political, and philosophical issues. In 2022, Cooper relocated to Jingdezhen (China), where he taught himself some pottery techniques, followed by an exploration of painting and engagement in social activities. Currently, he works in his studio, develops his artistic community and explores other potentials.
In addition to his academic and artistic pursuits, Cooper actively engages in various other hobbies. A passionate hiker, he spends most of his holidays exploring different mountains, immersing himself in the beauty of nature. Cooper often runs in the summer. His personal best marathon time is 4hr00min32sec in Brussel in 2017. Cooper is an amateur player of GO, a game having captivated him since 2006, and achieved his peak level of 2Dan in 2021. Since 2021, chess has become his primary focus in games. His current chess skills are at an approximate level of 1400. Cooper thinks he masters most Chinese home cooking dishes and has now embarked on a journey to learn the art of French and Italian cuisines. On occasion, Cooper plays some sloppy melodies by his digital wind-instrument. Among all the composers, he holds a special fondness for Bach. From time to time, Cooper generates and processes some digital 2D or 3D images and animations. Although he used to take photography more seriously, he now relies on his cellphone to capture moments and memories.