Statement-of-Purpose.doc

Statement of PurposeStatement of Purpose - Civil Engineering (SOP)In this essay I outline my academic and extra-curricular accomplishments. Also discussed are my career objectives and the motivation to pursue the graduate program in Civil Engineering at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.The undergraduate curriculum in Chemical Engineering at IIT, Kharagpur, introduced me to a wide gamut of subjects, both in and outside the field. Various courses like Mass Transfer, Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Transport Phenomena have provided me with a strong footing in the theoretical concepts of Chemical Engineering.It was the field of Environmental Technology which particularly captured my interest. The desire to delve deeper into this subject persuaded me to take elective courses in Industrial (Air) Pollution Control, Non-conventional Energy Engineering and Environmental Earth Sciences. While offering both depth and breadth across this field, these courses put into perspective the importance and relevance of Chemical Engineering and the application of its fundamentals to environment related problems. I came to realize that although traditionally Environmental Studies has been under the domain of Civil Engineering, the increasing complexity and magnitude of Environmental problems have resulted in a growing need for the services of disciplines other than Civil Engineering.（为什么选择这个项目）During the eight week Summer Training at the Development Consultants Ltd.,I was assigned to the Cement Cell, where I received a detailed knowledge of the cement manufacturing processes. As an Industrial Intern, I was assigned a project on Cement Plant Design (1800 TPD), which encompassed Raw-Mix Design and Capacity Calculations for various equipment. Here, I got aquainted with the Pollution and Energy Conservation problems faced by the Cement Industry and devoted a significant portion of my project to the pollution abatement methods.My final year dissertation was on the Manufacture of Phosphoric acid from rock phosphate using Sulfuric acid (Design of 100 tpd Plant). This covered the design of Reactor, Extractor (for acid purification) and Evaporator (for acid concentration). As a natural outcome of my interest in Pollution control, adequate emphasis was provided to waste gases and waste water treatment which involved off-gas scrubbing (venturi design) and discharge method details, gypsum disposal methods, disposal of fluosilicic acid as waste material and the incorporation of all these in the Plant Layout/flow-sheet.At IIT, Kharagpur, I have received the best possible undergraduate education in Chemical Engineering in India. Throughout, my scholastic records and achievements have been outstanding. I have consistently ranked in the top 2% of the students of my class, in school, and consider the high point of my achievements as being ranked in the top 1% of more than one lakh students who wrote the Joint Entrance Examination for admission to one of the six Indian Institutes of Technology.Throughout my school and undergraduate education, I have been a keen participant in extra-curricular activities. Getting elected as the School Pupil Leader ( Head Girl) helped me hone my organizational and interpersonal skills. At IIT, I have been involved in the Annual cultural Fest as Head of the Control Tent Team. I have also taken active part in dramatics and made my contribution to the Technology Dramatics Society (English chapter) at IIT, as its member and later as the Governor. I was also the member of the NSS at IIT where I had the opportunity to be involved in its Literacy and Health & Nutrition Programs. I continue to be a member of the Helpage Society of India, which provides palliative care to the terminally ill cancer patients.The years of undergraduate education have been an enriching experience - both academically and otherwise, and I am determined to maintain the high levels of excellence throughout my career.My immediate degree objective is an M.S in environmental engineering a rapidly evolving field with an immense potential for research. I wish to follow it up with a Ph.D, to pursue a career in research and experience the excitement and satisfaction of being at the forefront of this vast expanding field.An extremely distinguished faculty, a milieu replete with academic activity, and a graduate program which blends high quality course work and research facilities at the cutting edge of every sub-field are the factors which have motivated me to choose the University of Massachusetts, Amherst for graduate studies. I believe the program offered will help me acquire the versatility needed to reach my full potential as an engineer.（为什么选择该学校）It would, therefore, be a privilege to be able to secure admission to pursue graduate studies, with adequate financial assistance at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. I am confident that I will match the high standards set by your university.Statement of Purpose - Computer Science & Engineering (SOP)Purpose of Study & Professional Plans The boundless possibility of trying out and the instant knowledge of the outcome that stimulates one for further analysis of a rationale in question, is what I find most appealing about Computer Science. Keeping up an inquisitive and explorative attitude, I believe, leads to a constant learning process. This approach adds to the already immense potential for innovation that exists in this field. As a student in the final year of undergraduate study for a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Computer Science & Engineering, I look to graduate study to refine my knowledge and skills in my areas of interest. I believe it will also serve to give direction to my goal of a career as a research professional at an academic or commercial, research-oriented organization. I intend to pursue an MS degree in order to reach that goal.Academic Background & Research Interests In my undergraduate studies, I have benefited from the breadth of Shivaji Universitys syllabi content that has given me a comprehensive exposure to the core areas of Computer Science and a strong conceptual understanding of the same. In these three and half years of study, I have strived to maintain an approach of expending independent effort in all my endeavors. Learning by myself and sharing my knowledge with others has been most worthwhile, when comprehending a concept. Over the past two years, I have developed an interest in the areas of Compiler Construction and Information Retrieval. The Compiler Construction lab sessions last semester required the design of a compiler for C+ programs that were restricted to For loops, Switch case statements and simple input and output. The work involved in this, as well as the courses, Formal Systems and Automata and Compiler Construction, have lead me to appreciate the intricacies involved in this field. However, for my MS degree, I remain open to other topics as well. For my B.E project, I have decided to concentrate on my other area of interest viz. Information Retrieval. Im attempting to evolve a technique that, when employed in a search engine, will maximize the comprehensiveness and precision of the query listings. The ongoing work has introduced me to a vast body of pertinent research, such as the University of Washingtons Dynamic Reference Sifting technique for locating an individuals homepage, among others. This has served to sharpen my inclination to engage in active research within this area.(Please see attached Resume for the Academic and Co-curricular distinctions) One persons life influences the lives of an unbelievable number of people, one of the most important lessons I learned, being the Head of the Apex Body at senior secondary level (11th and 12th standard). Hence the need of responsible actions. Becoming the youngest Head of the Apex Body ever and the only one to have served for a period of two years eventually turned out to be a confidence booster. It taught me that the basis for good work is self-reliance and very importantly, time management. Not all of my entire two years were devoid of shortcomings. I learned to accept both criticism and praise with a positive frame of mind. My work involved organising various events, that brought with them the opportunity to work and interact with various kinds of people. This was a distinctively gratifying experience for me, which I feel would stand in good stead in the future, especially in lieu of any teaching experience. In conclusion, I would like to add that the essence of University education lies in the synergetic relationship between the student and his department. I feel that graduate study at your University will be the most logical extension of my academic pursuits and a major step towards achieving my objectives. I would be grateful to you if Im accorded the opportunity to pursue my graduate studies with financial assistance at your institution and am able to justify your faith in me.(For a listing of all final year courses, i.e. courses not listed in transcripts please see attached Resume)Statement of Purpose - PhD Management (SOP) I have completed my four year Bachelor of Technology program at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. I graduated in July 1998 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Many of my courses and research activities in the final year were in the field of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research with a strong focus on production and operations management. I am presently working in Tata Technologies India Ltd., an information technology firm that is involved in the areas of enterprise integration and CAD/CAM. I am applying for admission and financial aid to the Ph.D. program in Operations Management at the Krannert Graduate School of Management, Purdue University. Detailed information about my academic record and my research and other experience is attached to this statement. I was introduced to mathematics and the physical sciences while at school and it was in high school that I considered a career in this area. The desire to study the applied physical sciences and mathematics prompted me to take the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology. I was ranked in the top 0.25 % of the nearly 1,00,000 students who took the examination. My undergraduate education at IIT Bombay has not only given me a certain set of skills but has also helped me understand my fields of interest and my academic strengths and weaknesses. This understanding has made me realize that though the applied physical sciences appeal to me, my strengths lie in applied mathematics and in abstractions of reality. In particular, I am interested in the managerial aspects of industrial and technological systems. This interest developed during my junior year seminar titled Productivity Management in which I explored the relationship between manufacturing strategy and productivity improvement. I continued further research in this area through my senior year project titled Decision Support System for Quality Control which sought to investigate various decision making mechanisms in the quality function and provide corresponding computer support. The project also enabled me to appreciate the interaction between manufacturing and the other functions of the firm especially information systems. The reading of certain outstanding books during the course of my research such as Skinners Manufacturing in the Corporate Strategy, Demings Out of the Crisis and Goldratts The Goal finally convinced me to pursue a Ph.D. in operations management and an academic career thereafter. My past work in the area of industrial engineering and operations research was characterised by a dichotomy of approaches. The courses that I took in this area dealt with various operational and tactical issues. The basic aim was to understand a specific problem, model the problem appropriately and find an optimal or reasonably optimal solution using the techniques of operations research. This has given me a good background in issues related to methodology, modelling, and heuristic solutions. On the other hand, my research has been oriented towards strategic issues. The basic thrust of my junior year seminar and senior year project has been integrative. Through my future research efforts I would like to understand this dichotomy better. Initially, I want to study rigorous model-based methods and do research on operational and tactical topics. After gaining a thorough grounding in these topics, I am interested in applying the same methodologies and techniques to strategic topics in operations management. I believe that I have the qualities to be a good researcher and teacher. I am a creative person and often think in a contemplative way about various issues of practical importance. Being able to identify patterns and relationships that are not obvious to others is perhaps my greatest strength. This will prove very valuable because an integral part of being a researcher and teacher is to perceive the balance between theory and practice, analytical rigor and intuition. My communication skills are good and I like expressing ideas and concepts both in oral and written form - an ideal platform for the dissemination of knowledge in my chosen field of specialization. The Krannert Graduate School of Management is one of the best schools of management in the world with a strong orientation towards research. The diversity of research interests in the operations management group is of particular interest to me. The eminent faculty and the individualized nature of the doctoral program will definitely bring out the best in me. I would like to reiterate that I possess the background, the ability and the motivation to make a significant contribution to Operations Management. I hope you will take a favorable decision regarding my admission to the Ph.D. program and I look forward to joining the Krannert Graduate School of Management and Purdue University.Statement of Purpose - PhD (Economics)When introduced to economics in high school I realized that it interestingly qualified as a subject of both Arts and Science. It was an area defined by precise rules, principles and axioms and yet there was tremendous scope for self-expression in the form of interpretation and analysis. This facet of economics intrigued me very much and I decided to pursue further studies in Economics.During my Masters program I equipped myself as best as I could, with various tools used in economic analysis. I obtained rigorous training in mathematics, econometrics and game theory. After completing the Masters program, I joined National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, as I was very eager to see how one might use economics to tackle real life problems, where simplified models, and assuming away of problems may offer no respite. I did some very interesting work here, which is described in my resume. I want to delve deeper into the subject to be able to carry out independent research and analysis, hence my decision to join the Ph.D. program at UCLA. International Economics is an area I would really like to explore. I am fascinated by game theoretic modeling of issues pertaining to International Economics. I believe that game theoretic models can be effectively used in international economics as many policy issues such as negotiations over mutual reductions in tariffs, formation and preservation of customs unions, establishment of cartels in the case of internationally traded goods, all have some game theoretic character.The current Regionalism versus Multilateralism debate holds its own attraction. It should be in