Statement of purpose in academic research and professional practice

¶ … electrically charged with enthusiasm and intensity. When I was about twelve a cousin of mine came over to my house with his new collection of Ray Bradbury science fiction books translated into our native Chinese. Eager to share his newfound literary discovery, my cousin soon asked me what I liked to read.

A like to read about electronics," I told him. I read off a list of subjects that fascinated me then and that continue to fascinate me now: electricity, electronics, and electromagnetics. I'll never forget the dumbfounded look on my cousin's face when I showed him my book collection, half of which were technical. Although impressed and interested in the subject as well, my cousin shared little of the emotional passion that I naturally exhibited since I was a young boy growing up in Taiwan. For example, I almost enjoyed taking my gadgets apart as much as I loved to play with them.]

My family and I moved to the United States in time for me to attend high school here. Through my high school science courses I developed a deeper interest in the study of electronics. My teachers helped steer me toward the right undergraduate academy where I could best develop my talents and pursue my interests. Without much hesitation I selected an academic major in electrical engineering and with full force delved into my field of interest. My undergraduate academic record reflects my earnest passion, as I made the Dean's Honor List for three semesters. Courses I have taken include those that focus on electromagnetics, electronic communication systems, and solid state electronics.

As an undergraduate, my academic advisors helped me to design several projects related to solid state electronics to better prepare me for further academic research and for a future career as an electrical engineer. One undergraduate project on which I worked was on MOSFET process simulation and parameter extraction using Silverace simulation tools. Another major project on which I worked involved bipolar transistors (BJT) using Silverace tools. These projects provided me with hands-on research experience, including the basic tools of research design, testing, and report writing. Through these projects I was able to demonstrate mastery of course material, aptitude for complex research projects in solid state electronics, and the psychological disposition demanded of a serious graduate student in such a challenging field. My undergraduate work demanded a high level of perseverance, patience, and persistence. My academic successes were not earned easily but with considerable time and effort.

Moreover, my academic projects helped me to ground textbook and lecture knowledge into practical application. In fact, further practical applications of academic knowledge are exactly what I hope to gain and experience throughout graduate school and my future career. While I do enjoy the academic process, I eventually hope to apply the technical knowledge I glean from my instructors to my career as an electrical engineer.

Coursework in solid state electronics proved so stimulating that I am planning on specifically pursuing solid state electronics engineering in graduate school. In graduate school I will be better able to hone my talents and focus more intently on specific areas of research design. With the assistance of my graduate school academic advisors I will be able to select potential areas of study that will lead to fruitful future careers. Because I have already delved into MOSFET process simulation as well as bipolar transistors, these are potential areas of specification that I might undertake in graduate school.

Just as during my undergraduate studies I undertook an internship with Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) testing motherboards, I intend to also undertake one or more internships while in graduate school. Internships, I feel, act as an invaluable adjunct for academia. Intern positions are like bridges between the novice world of the student and the professional world to which we aspire. Internships also provide very practical knowledge about what we learn in school; they serve as real-life laboratories. Furthermore, internships enable students like me to network with professionals in our fields of interest and witness first-hand the daily workings of electrical engineers and the companies for which they work. While studying electrical engineering in graduate school, I hope to find a long-term project on which I can work and through which I can gain valuable supplementary practical experiences. Graduate school, I imagine, will offer me innumerable opportunities to collaborate with professors on important electrical engineering projects on which they are working as well.