Dr. Couper was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1925. During World War II, he served as a Midshipman in the United States Merchant Marine. He then worked for Monsanto Company from 1951-1959 as a process engineer in a divisional engineering department and subsequently as a manufacturing supervisor of five fine chemical departments. In 1959, Couper was appointed associate professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Arkansas. Couper was promoted to Professor in 1965, served as Department Head from 1968-1979, and in 1989 retired as Professor Emeritus. In retirement, he has taught part time and authored or coauthored four textbooks. He is the lead author of the Process Economics section of the 8th edition of Perry’s Chemical Engineering Handbook. In 1986, Couper was named fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineer. He presently resides in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Arkansas Academy of Chemical Engineers Honorary Member, 2006.

Dr. Couper passed away on January 29, 2019. He will be missed.