Rachel Bates
Writer. Educator. Researcher.
Rachel Bates is a passionate educator with nine years of teaching experience at the secondary and post-secondary levels. In May, she graduated with her PhD in English with concentrations in literary and cultural studies and writing, rhetoric, and discourse analysis studies. She holds an M.A. in Liberal Studies with a concentration in creative writing from Dartmouth College and a B.A. in History and English from East Tennessee State University.
Rachel's creative writing is featured in several journals such as Appalachian Review, West Texas Literary Review, and Broad River Review, and Finishing Line Press published her debut chapbook, Dear River, in 2020. She draws inspiration from Appalachia, her family, her students, and life's general mundane and quotidian ongoings.
Her research focuses on the Anthropocene via Contemporary Appalachian literature and culture. She approaches these studies using ecofeminism, place studies, and affect theory methodologies. She frequently presents both her academic and pedagogical research and knowledge to academic and professional colleagues. She is a motivated teacher who inspires students, shares her knowledge, and often leads teams toward new curriculum and social endeavors. As an educator and in her current role as an academic director, her highest priority is creating equitable and diverse spaces for all students, and she works toward dismantling historical and contemporary barriers for historically marginalized groups.Â
Her organization, planning, and communication skills are excellent. She always meets deadlines and is an exceptional multitasker. Teaching continues to enhance her extraordinary conflict resolution, time management, and interpersonal communication skills.
