Statement of Purpose

My name is Matthew Krachey and welcome to my teaching portfolio website. I'm a doctoral candidate at North Carolina State University co-majoring in zoology and biomathematics. Given this hybrid of life science and mathematical sciences, I strongly feel that several components of both disciplines are very beneficial. First, the creative development of research questions, narratives, and the quest for these answers are essential for students in ecology desiring a research component, but would give additional benefit for biometricians. Second, the quantitative modeling worldview of biometricians would be useful for ecologists to build concrete, testable ideas. An educational program for ecologists that can blend the development of questions and research with practical, applied quantitative skills would give students an effective toolset when entering graduate school. This portfolio is thus focused on demonstrating my experience, evolution, and future direction as an educator to accomplish these goals.

This portfolio is focused on a course I developed with Dr. Rob Dunn titled "Emerging Approaches to Biology" as part of North Carolina State University's Preparing the Professoriate program. This rather unorthodox course is well suited to my teaching philosophy which is focused on developing questions and critical thinking in every course. To document my evolving view of the role of a teacher, I've provided a draft of my statement of teaching philosophy developed in April 2008, as well as my current statement. I also provide a list of courses taught and seminars attended to document my experience and attempts to learn how to teach, as well as an example of implementing seminar ideas within my teaching. This course was targeted on research, so I provide two student examples of an independent research paper. I then provide a student example of their research proposal. Finally, I provide a reflection on my growth as a teacher and my desire to improve and innovate in the future.