Rooted in education, expanding opportunity

Roger Koopmann (Stevenson ’80, economics) has long understood the transformative power of education. Raised in a family of teachers—his grandmother, mother, aunt, and sister among them—he grew up with a deep appreciation for learning and opportunity. Together with his late husband, Tom Bullen (Ph.D. ’86, Earth sciences), a professor whose own career reflected a lifelong passion for teaching and mentoring, Koopmann established scholarships at UC Santa Cruz to ensure that students today can pursue degree-defining experiences beyond the classroom.

“Tom and I really felt that education is super important, and we think it’s important for everybody,“ Koopmann said. “We knew that we always wanted to give to education.” 

Koopmann and Bullen established the Support for Undergraduate Research in Geological and Environmental Sciences (SURGES) Fund in 2018 and the Foreign Language Education Abroad Endowment in 2015 at UC Santa Cruz. Both gifts were inspired by Koopmann and Bullen’s own experiences as students at the university.

When Bullen was pursuing his Ph.D., he received a scholarship that allowed him to purchase necessary equipment for his research. Now, SURGES supports undergraduate students in Earth and planetary sciences, ensuring they have the tools needed to succeed. 

“Tom wouldn’t have been able to really finish his senior paper without that added help,” Koopmann said. “So this [establishing a scholarship] was something he always wanted to take on. We were lucky enough to be able to start that together before he became unable to.” 

Koopmann and Bullen established SURGES in 2018, months before Bullen passed from brain cancer. The fund serves as a living legacy of his love for education. 

“Education was really important to him,” Koopmann said. 

Bullen, a Dartmouth graduate who earned his B.S. in engineering geology and M.A. in geology before completing his Ph.D. at UC Santa Cruz, spent many years teaching at Cal State East Bay, collaborating with Stanford faculty, and mentoring numerous graduate students. He built a distinguished career as a research geochemist with the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Research Program and also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Waterloo.

“He just loved imparting knowledge and helping people work through things, and he was such a patient and good teacher,” Koopmann recalled. “SURGES is just a way of continuing that.” 

In 2024, two UC Santa Cruz students benefited from support from SURGES: one investigating the bulk composition of chondrule precursors, and another advancing research on atmospheric carbon dioxide removal.

“I’ve gone down and met with the students that have gotten the scholarships, both from SURGES and the Foreign Language Education Abroad Endowment,” Koopmann said. “I come out of there feeling so much more hopeful about the world and feeling that I’m part of something that is good for the world. These days, it’s really nice to feel like you are moving forward.” 

The Foreign Language Education Abroad Endowment was inspired by Koopmann’s experience studying abroad in Bordeaux for a year. 

“It was just a life changing experience,” he said. “You learn so much, and you get so much power from being able to navigate being on your own in a foreign country. I wanted other students to have that opportunity as well, because I was fortunate.” 

Koopmann noted that the cost of higher education has risen dramatically since his time at UC Santa Cruz, and he is happy to help make college, and experiential learning experiences like study abroad, more attainable for today’s students. 

For Koopmann, the impact goes both ways—supporting students is as meaningful for him as it is for the recipients.

“It’s very rewarding, not only for the students who receive the scholarships, but for me as well. It truly feels like a win-win.”