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\signature{W.~Trevor King}
\address{120 Miller Street \\ Highlands, NJ 07732}
\telephone{+1 215 284 6634}
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\begin{document}

\begin{letter}{Pacific Lutheran University \\
  Department of Human Resources \\
  Tacoma, WA 98447-0003 }

\opening{Search Committee,}

Thank you for reviewing my application for the position of Visiting
Assistant Professor of Computer Engineering.  Over my years working on
my Ph.D. studies at Drexel University, I have been looking forward to
teaching at a liberal arts college.  I look forward to working at a
school such as PLU which clearly has a strong commitment to teaching
excellence and teacher training.  Besides teaching computer
engineering, I am also interested in advancing the science of
teaching.  Over the past year I have been active in the
\href{http://software-carpentry.org/}{Software Carpentry}
organization, which trains scientists around the world in current
software development and data management techniques.  Software
Carpentry
\href{http://software-carpentry.org/bootcamps/2013-02-uwash.html}{recently}
\href{http://software-carpentry.org/blog/2013/03/washington-went-well.html}{ran}
a boot boot camp at the University of Washington, and I look forward
to continuing this outreach in the Puget Sound area.

While I have not yet been in a position to design my own courses, I
have enjoyed building some supportive tools.  Over the past several
years, I have developed an open source
\href{http://blog.tremily.us/posts/Course_website/}{course website
  framework} and
\href{http://git.tremily.us/?p=course.git;a=tree;f=asymptote;hb=HEAD}{graphics
  libraries} for illustrating
\href{http://blog.tremily.us/posts/Course_website/Mechanics-test.svg}{mechanics},
\href{http://blog.tremily.us/posts/Course_website/ElectroMag-test.svg}{electricity
  and magnetism},
\href{http://blog.tremily.us/posts/Course_website/Circ-test.svg}{circuits},
and
\href{http://blog.tremily.us/posts/Course_website/stickfigure-test.svg}{stick
  figures}.  I've also designed the
\href{https://pypi.python.org/pypi/pygrader}{pygrader} framework for
collecting and grading homework assignments that students submit via
email and the \href{https://pypi.python.org/pypi/quizzer}{quizzer}
framework for managing online quizzes and surveys.  These tools will
make it easier for me to maintain class notes, homework, tests, and
lecture material, which gives me more time to focus on engaging
students directly.  Downloadable class notes also give students more
time to focus on the concepts and applications instead of focusing on
transcription.  I look forward to tying these pieces together and
building cohesive courses to introduce new students to computer
engineering.

While I have a long history of interest in science and mathematics, it
was my scientific research that lead to my interest in computing and
electronics.  I have fond memories of building digital circuits in my
electronics and instrumentation course at Colgate, but my interest in
computing really took off as I moved into the open source ecosystem
while automating single molecule protein unfolding
experiments\citep{king10,king13}.  I have spent the last few years up
to my elbows in an open source experiment control stack\citep{king13}
as well as developing and troubleshooting the associated electronics
hardware.  On the side, I've spent a bit of time tinkering with
microcontrollers such as the
\href{http://www.atmel.com/devices/atmega32u4.aspx}{ATMega32u4}.  I
look forward to leveraging this interest in open source software and
inexpensive hardware to engage students with accessible hands-on
experience.

As a scientist, I feel that teaching itself can be improved through
the scientific method.  By testing the effect of different classroom
approaches---and by building on the research of my peers---I intend to
gradually refine my teaching to improve student engagement, critical
thinking, and content retention.  I am especially excited to try
active learning approaches\citep{hake98,crouch01,prince04}, especially
thinking-aloud pair problem solving
(TAPPS\citep{lochhead87,felder09}), which has been shown to increase
student performance\citep{johnson99}.  Of course, not
\emph{everything} can be measured with sufficient clarity to support
this approach.  Developing quantitative evaluations of student
learning is tricky, but---at least at a basic level---it is possible.
Several Software Carpentry collaborators (especially
\href{http://michigancomputes.wordpress.com/}{Cait Pickens}) are
experts in assessment design and validation, and between their
experience with standard practices and my talent for software tooling
and rigorous analysis, I expect we'll develop a robust system for
monitoring student progress.  By promoting this system in our own
research and SWC outreach, we can also spread the practice of teaching
research through the wider academic community.

On a more prosaic level, I am excited about moving from the
mid-Atlantic---where I have spent most of my life---to the Northwest.
Starting in the Fall, my wife Emily will be opening a veterinary
surgery practice at the \href{http://olympiapetemergency.net/}{Olympia
  Pet Emergency} hospital in Olympia.  After years of commuting
several hours from our current home in New Jersey to Drexel in
Philadelphia, the chance for jobs that are only thirty minutes apart
is quite appealing.  My wife is originally from Vancouver, Canada, and
I have enjoyed our annual summer trip out to visit with her family.  I
also look forward to the drizzly climate, as my Northern European
heritage has not given me much protection against the sun.  Being able
to enjoy the outdoors (sailing and hiking!) without having to slather
on the sunblock sounds like a good idea to me.

Please do not hesitate to contact me via phone or email if you need
any additional information.

\closing{Yours,}

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