Lee Cooper is a lecturer at the UNSW Centre for Social Impact, specialising in applied research, experiential education, and practice-led approaches to addressing complex social challenges. With more than 28 years of experience across the for-purpose sector, Lee has worked in frontline service delivery, community development, program and policy design, research, innovation, and executive leadership.

Lee’s research interests include design for social innovation, systemic and transition-oriented approaches to societal issues, co-design and collaborative methodologies, care ethics in practice, and the organisational conditions that enable stronger social outcomes. His work brings together academic rigour and practitioner insight, with a focus on connecting lived experience to systems-level understanding.

In his teaching, Lee is recognised for designing transformative learning experiences that blend theory with real-world practice. His work encourages students to cultivate curiosity, reflective capacity, and new ways of “thinking and doing” when navigating social complexity.

Lee collaborates widely with governments, non-profits, social enterprises, and community groups. He is particularly interested in how cross-sector partnerships, innovative design practices, and inclusive approaches contribute to more effective and equitable solutions.

He is driven by a belief that social change emerges when diverse perspectives come together to challenge assumptions and reimagine what is possible.