1) As an advanced PhD Student, I am thinking about career options, which include a university faculty position.  A position on this committee would allow me to experience first-hand how Research-I universities such as Duke operate, including non-research/teaching responsibilities of faculty, and faculty-administrative interactions.  Additionally, this position would allow me to "practice" being faculty by engaging in discourse and affecting decisions regarding Duke's research and teaching priorities.  I am a Fellow in Duke's Preparing Future Faculty program this year, and serving on this committee would provide a nice foil to my experiences at other universities in the area.

2) I have devoted my education and career to studying environmental and sustainability issues.  My undergrad research studied effects of anthropogenic nitrogen impacts on alpine plant communities and water quality. My dissertation research is focusing on the effects of land use conversion on carbon sequestration or emission, and on constructing rubrics for measuring carbon in ecosystems in order to calculate carbon credits in a future cap and trade scenario.  I am an avid conserver of water and electricity in my own home, and am passionate about improving others' and institutions' commitments to conservation.

3) I have been at Duke for many years now: 4 years of undergrad and now entering my 4th year of a PhD.  As both a current student and an alum, I would like to help Duke to not only maintain its reputation for academic and institutional excellence, but also to continue to live up to that reputation.  Incidents such as the Duke lacrosse party and the Fuqua cheating incident cause me to worry that expectations of integrity and excellence are not being communicated to students, and thus causing erosion of Duke's reputation.

I have not served on any University committees.

1) Preparing Future Faculty Fellow 2009-2010

2) I am a 4th year student in Nicholas School of the Environment.  My undergraduate degree (with Distinction, from Duke) is in Environmental Science.  My research focuses on carbon cycling and carbon sequestration in a southeastern loblolly pine forest.  I worked for one year as an environmental consultant.  I think, talk, and write about environmental and sustainability issues on a daily basis.  I recently coauthored a publication comparing the ability of several carbon accounting protocols to calculate appropriate amounts of carbon offset credits, to be sold in a future cap and trade carbon market.

3)Many years at Duke: 4 years of undergraduate study (including one semester with Duke's Marine Laboratory and one semester with the Duke-led OTS course in Costa Rica), one year as an employee, plus 3+ years PhD study.  Additional courses in Research and Scientific Ethics beyond RCR requirements.

I am very interested in undergraduate teaching and would like to serve on a university committee related to teaching.  I am a 4th year graduate student in the mathematics department and I have already had substantial teaching experience.  In the fall of 2006, I was a laboratory assistant for Calculus I (Math 31L).  In the fall of 2007 and the fall of 2008, I was a full instructor for a section of Calculus I (Math 31L).  In 2007, I had a class of 32 students and in 2008, I had a class of 25 students.  In this position, I designed my own course policies, gave three 50-minute lectures each week, wrote my own quizzes and exams, met with students individually, etc.  I also taught Probability (Math 135) in the summer of 2008.  This is a more advanced undergraduate course and is not usually taught by a graduate student.  I have really enjoyed teaching and have received very high teacher evaluations.  I also received the L.P. Smith award for teaching excellence from the mathematics department in 2009.  I am interested in pursuing a career as a professor after I graduate.

I believe that I would be a great representative on the Undergraduate Teaching, Academic Standards, and Honors Committee.  My interests are very well aligned with the committee and I would have a lot to contribute.  I would also enjoy serving as the Academic Council Liaison or on the Arts and Sciences Council, as they are also semi-related to undergraduate teaching.

 As fourth and fifth choices, I would also enjoy serving on the Academic Programs Committee or the Executive Committee of Graduate Faculty.

I have not served on a university committee in the past, but I have had much experience serving on other committees.  I am on the organizing committee for the Graduate Student Conference in Probability.  This past May we held that 3rd Annual conference with over 100 participants in attendance.  We are also already actively planning the 4th Annual conference which will be held in May 2010.  I am one of the 5 organizers for the conference and have gained much experience coordinating large events.  I am also on the Duke University Calculus Committee, which evaluates the calculus curriculum and proposes improvements.

Please see above sections on Interests and Qualifications.