Assistant professor cover letter;Dept of Mathematics @ University of Virginia Tech

I am writing to apply for the postdoctoral position at your department beginning in Fall 2011, as advertised on your department website. I am currently in a doctoral program in the

department of Mathematics at the University of Virginia Tech, and fully I expect to complete my PhD degree by May 2011. I am extremely interested in obtaining a this position.

As a PhD student at the University of Virginia Tech, I taught for several years a variety Calculus courses and I made progress in my researches, and I believe my background would be useful in your department. My doctoral dissertation was conducted under the direction of Prof. Michael Renardy in the area of the stability of viscoelastic shear flows.

I would appreciate the opportunity to interview and look forward to hearing from you in the near future. I have enclosed my Curriculum Vitae, publication list, research and teaching statements, copies of transcripts. Letters of recommendation will be mailed under separate cover. If you require any additional materials or information, I would be happy to supply it. Thank you very much for your time and your consideration.

Sincerely yours,

Here is an attempt to tighten up your letter and add more focus/strengthen your application:

I am writing to apply for the postdoctoral position at your department beginning in Fall 2011, as advertised on your department website. I am currently in a doctoral program in the

department of Mathematics at the University of Virginia Tech, and fully I expect towill complete my PhD degree by May 2011. I am extremely interested in obtaining a this position.

As a PhD student at the University of Virginia Tech , I taught for several years a variety Calculus courses and I made progress in my researches, and I believe my background would be useful in your department. My doctoral dissertation was conducted under the direction of Prof. Michael Renardy in the area of the stability of viscoelastic shear flows. My research focussed on ... which ... (State specifically why would this research be useful in this prof's dept? Don't assume or leave to generalities of belief)

This sentence does not help. It just wastes words. Make every sentence count! Think about what effect you want to have on the reader, and tell the reader things that will achieve your desired result.

As a PhD student at the University of Virginia Tech, I taught for several years a variety Calculus courses and I made progress in my research . I believe my background would be useful in your department, because _________________________.

:-)

Thanks a lot for your help
I appreciate your help