Statement of purpose : Yujie Wei, Solid Mechanics, MIT
Statement of purpose : Lu Liu, Mathematics, Johns Hopkins University
Statement of purpose : Yan Xin, Biochemical Engineering, Ohio State University
Statement of purpose : Jessica, Linguishtics and Applied Linguistics, Purdue University
Statement of purpose : Tony, Radio Physics, UCLA
Statement of purpose : Kwon, Physics, Princeton University
Statement of purpose : Leonard, Institute of Physics, Northwestern University
Statement of purpose : Keji Lai, Electronic Engineering, Princeton University
Statement of purpose : Cherry, Human Geography, Michigan State University
Statement of purpose : Jihai Yu, World Economy, Ohio State University
I am a graduate student of Chinese Academy of Sciences, under the direction of professor Y.L. Bai. My recent work involves fracture and mechanical behavior of inhomogeneous materials.
Although the rapid progress in science and technology has been freeing the human beings from traditional bandage to nature greatly, a basic fact has astonished me for a long time. According to a 1983 study by the U.S.A Department of Commerce, materials failure costs Americans roughly 4% of the gross national product. Such case may be more severe in developing countries. Out of question, mechanics plays a key role in this field. So, mechanical engineering was my first choice when I entered Peking University. In Peking University, I got scholarship every year, including the "Climber of Mechanics" award in 1997. Just two outstanding undergraduate students got this honor in Peking University every year. In 1997, I received my B.S. degree and was admitted into the master's program of Mechanical Engineering in Chinese Academy of Sciences.
While pursuing my degree, I have been participating in the National Fundamental Research Project "Nonlinear Science" and the key project of National Natural Science Foundation of China in the 9th "5 Year": "Macro-micro Mechanical Behavior of materials and Their Design for Strength and Toughness" (No. 19891180). I have finished 9 papers and 6 of them have been published. I became the only one who got the first class of Yonghuai Kuo Award among over 100 competitors in the Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, in year 2000.
My current work is about mechanical behavior and nonlinear physical properties of inhomogeneous materials. Mechanical behavior of materials in multi-scale (under different conditions) is my next interest. With the development of technology, the smaller the units, the more important the surface effect. To evaluate the mechanical behavior of materials in small scale, especially in nano-scale, is the focus for the society of material, mechanics. How do the cracks propagate in materials with microscopic impurities and dislocations in their crystal structure before a crack cleaves the material clearly? What is the best structure for a concrete material under given conditions? Mechanical Engineering has so many challenges in the new century!
I hope to become a successful teacher or a researcher in this arduous but exhilarating field. The significant progress achieved in mechanical engineering in MIT, combined with the extraordinary cultural and intellectual sources in your university, has attracted me greatly. With the study in Peking University and the research experience in the best scientific organization in China, I am sure that I am qualified and would be an outstanding Ph.D. student at MIT. With the advanced courses, balanced program and distinguished faculty of your department, I would get a solid background for my future academic career.
All my life I have been nurtured in and exposed to the wonders of the world of mathematics. Because my father was the deputy director of the Institute of Quantitative and Technical Economics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, during my childhood I was often surrounded by mathematical data, formulas and charts. As I grew older, I began to realize that by collecting and analyzing data and building mathematical models according to the data, my father had the power to forecast such grand concepts as the growth rate of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product). I was astonished by the power of mathematics and my curiosity drove me to read as many books as I could in the related field. Gradually, I found that I had stepped into another world, a world of intelligence and aesthetics. I felt that it might be my destiny to probe this world.
With self-confidence and my father's encouragement, I chose applied mathematics as my major in college. Thanks to the excellent faculty who guided me on my pilgrimage across the mathematical universe, my love for mathematics continued to bloom. In my analysis courses, I first met the continuous function under the definition of Cauchy. Then, my vision broadened to the Riemann integrable function space, which is composed of "almost" continuous functions. With the advent of the set theory, my vision again expanded to the measurable function under the theory of the Lebesgue Integral. In my algebra courses, I was equipped with a powerful tool-- the matrix. The more I learned, the more useful I found this tool, especially in numerical analysis and optimization. When I moved into the real abstruse world of abstract algebra, I came to realize that mathematical symbols did not have to stand for numbers; for instance, they may represent matrices, quaternion, or transformations. In fact, it was not necessary that they stand for anything at all! My strength of purpose allowed me to consume this knowledge with delight.
I hold a particular interest in applied mathematics courses and have distinguished myself from my classmates. As you can see from my transcript, in such courses as numerical analysis, ODE, PDE and optimization, my scores were all in the ninetieth percentile. I attribute this ~o my perseverance and resilience in facing any problem. No matter how formidable the computational process, I never gave up until the right solution was obtained.
In order to satisfy my thirst for more knowledge, I kept on reading books and articles on mathematics during my college years. Enlightened by the remark that "mathematics, like philosophy, is virtually inseparable from its history" (Harold M. Edwards, Read the Masters!), I read the distinguished book -- Mathematical Thought from Ancient to Modern Times (Morris Kline, Oxford University Press). It was this book that cleared up my misconception that mathematicians were such geniuses as they could go from theorem to theorem almost naturally. From this book, I understood that mathematicians must struggle with frustrations and travel a long arduous road to attain significant achievements. When aware of this, I derived great courage to pursue my own work tenaciously and was never dismayed by deficiencies or failures.
In recognition of my consistent academic excellence, I have been awarded various kinds of scholarships, among which are my department's scholarship, which I have received every term, and the "Information Project" Scholarship, one of the most prestigious scholarships granted by the Beijing Institute of Technology. Now having a solid theoretical foundation in both pure and applied mathematics, combined with intellectual vigor and determination, I believe that I am well prepared for any challenges I might face in my future study and research.
Professor Min-You Qi, a famous mathematician in our country, once said: "A culture without modern mathematics is destined to decline." Now in China, few people understand modern mathematics. What is even worse is that many people think mathematics is useless. Whenever I am faced with this situation, Professor Qi's words always make me, a mathematics major, feel that it is my responsibility to propagate modem mathematical knowledge. In my opinion, the optimal method is to show people how mathematics can successfully be used to solve real problems in the modern world. To achieve this goal, I think, having a wide range of knowledge in multi-disciplines is as important as having profound knowledge in a single discipline. Besides, the ability to combine disciplines and use them to tackle the real-world problems is vital to assure success. Therefore, I chose applied mathematics as my course of study in graduate school.
Without advanced knowledge, I would never fulfill myself or realize my potential. However, to decide which university to attend is one of the most important decisions in my life. Keeping this in mind, I consider (university name) as my First Choice. Sticking to Albert Gallatin's original intention that the university should provide a "rational and practical education for all", (university name) today is recognized both nationally and internationally as a leader in scholarship. I am very pleased to know that (university name)'s Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences offers balanced training in mathematics and its application in the broadest sense. That matches what I need perfectly. Thus, I do believe that my studying at your university will greatly help me accomplish my goal. The Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences is world-famous for its leading position in both pure and applied mathematics and plays a central role in the development of these disciplines. I can hardly imagine what could be more exciting for me than studying the heart of modern mathematics.
Among the sub areas of applied mathematics, I am particularly interested in partial differential equations, since I am fascinated by both the subject's theoretical foundations and its practical promise. The Courant Institute is prestigious for its special emphasis on partial differential equations and their applications. This should set a good stage for me to exercise my keen mental power and diligence.
Ideally, I would like to enter your Ph.D. program. Upon the completion of my study, I would devote myself to scientific research in China and turn my research achievements into practical use. My ultimate goal is to make Chinese culture into a culture that embraces modern mathematics. No matter how rigorous the path, I will persevere in my goal. The mathematical universe is a journey that will never end. It is my destiny.
When I entered Beijing Medical University (BMU, the best medical school in China) in 1994, I decided to major in Pharmacy because it is such an essential component of the health care delivery system. I hope my work in this area will move human beings a step closer to the moment when we can eventually solve any problem in human diseases with the aid of drugs.
During four undergraduate years, I equipped myself with a broad range of subjects related to pharmaceutical sciences and honed my lab skills in several areas, such as Pharmacokinetics, Drug Delivery, and Bioanalysis. With an overall GPA of 92.2 (on a 0-100 scale), I have won the most prestigious scholarships and awards every year in BMU, always ranking top 2% in my department.
The rich research experience I got in BMU provided me rigorous training in pharmaceutics and strengthened my interest in it. When I practiced in the group of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring at Tiantan Hospital, I mainly used Fluoresce Polarization Immunoassay to monitor the blood concentration of drugs for which concentration control is essential, such as Digitoxin and Lidocaine. This work ensured me how important pharmacokinetics is in effective thcrapy. In 1998, I began my diploma thesis work on Liposomal Amphotericin B (LAMB). My task was to incorporate Amphotericin B in small liposome to increase its efficacy and decrease the serious toxicity and side effects. After a half year of creative and diligent work, I successfully established a new technique of producing stable and effective LAmB and thoroughly studied its physical properties, efficacy, toxicity and pharmacokinetics.
I hold a belief that a drug is successfully developed only after it is made economically affordable, which demands pharmaceutical researchers have a good understanding of engineering as well as science. Therefore, I joined the graduate program of Biochemical Engineering at Tsinghua University (THU, the top engineering school in China) after graduation.
At THU, I attended two Key Projects of the Ninth Five-year National Program, both as a major researcher. One is the pilot plant test of producing poly-B-hydroxybutyrate (PHB, a kind of biodegradable plastic) by biofermentation, in which we successfully scaled up the fermentation of Alcaligenes eutrophus to yield PHB according to laboratory results. Another project is "I,argescale Culture of Hybridoma Cell to Produce Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibody," on which my graduate thesis focuses. By now, I have done work in several aspects: 1) the effect of traditional herbals on C50 growth, 2) serum-free medium design and 3) the metabolism of glutamin. The third one is my main interest because our final goal is to achieve high cell density and high product concentration in large-scale culture, which necessitates a fed-batch strategy and glutamine is the key nutriment ensuring the success of such a strategy. My research has progressed smoothly recently and I plan to optimize the condition of a large-scale culture in a 5-1itre fermentor in the following days. Experience in such projects dramatically improved my computer, mathematics and engineering skills, which undoubtedly will contribute to my future research.
Life at THU is a precious opportunity for me, more than research. The challenging and successful catching-up process in graduate study (due to deficiency in undergraduate engineering background) proves my capability again and gives me confidence to confront various difficulties in my future research. And communication with intelligent people from different backgrounds gready refreshes my mind.
Pharmacy is such a dynamic area that responding to the changing needs of society presents an exciting challenge to pharmacists. To be well equipped for such an obligation, I want to pursue more advanced training in this important field. The University of Tennessee is world known for its leading research in pharmaceutical sciences, therefore a perfect choice for me. Your broad research interests, established faculty and state-of-the-art facilities will provide me an unparalleled opportunity for my intellectual advancement. I believe my enthusiasm in pharmaceutics, independent research capability and strong and diverse background will pave the way for me to study at your university and contribute to your graduate program. I also believe that I will be a cooperative member once I am admitted to your group. My intended research fields include Pharmacokinetics & Biopharmaceutics, Pharmacodynamics Drug Delivery.
I plan to return to China after completing my Ph.D. program. It is likely that I will seek employment at a top university or institute. However, I do not want to be confined exclusively to academic work. I wish to become an important research fellow who has a great influence on the industry, too.
Dramatic changes in communication technologies have brought us into an age of cell phones, chat rooms, electronic mail and global commerce. The way people communicate with each other has changed greatly. However, some fundamental issues about communication remain constant, for instance, how to express one's ideas clearly and effectively, and how to maintain harmonious relationships with others. I think it is people, not technologies that are the key to these questions. Having equipped myself with a solid foundation in English language and culture, I am applying for a doctoral educational position at Purdue University to further my study and research in the area of interpersonal communication.
I majored in English Language and Literature while an undergraduate at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (BUAA). I achieved an overall GPA of 3.7. Prompted by my interest in linguistics, I entered the Masters program in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics at BUAA in the fall of 1998. My academic performance in graduate studies was even better, ranking first in my class with an overall GPA of 3.89. In acknowledgement of my success, I was awarded the Excellent Graduate Student Scholarship of BUAA in 1999 and the International Engineering Technology (IET) Scholarship in 2000.
Though I am proud of my academic achievements, my greatest rewards came from my working experience. I enjoy teaching very much because I think it is a process of communication between teacher and students and one can learn a lot in this process. From 1998 to the present, I have been teaching part time at BUAA and other universities. Through the increasing interaction between the teacher and the students, I found through my experience, could improve students' learning efficiency dramatically. During my teaching I often encouraged discussion and teamwork in classroom, as I believe working in groups could help students learn to cooperate and learn from each other. I taught them studying skills and methods rather than pure language theory, and I also tried to reform the traditional language teaching style by using techniques like newspaper reading and video playing in the classroom. The students showed great interest in learning English through the media and exhibited enthusiasm in classroom participation, though some were weak in understanding materials that were specifically related to the foreign culture. I addressed this issue in my paper Cultural Barrier in SLA and Its Implication for EFL Teaching at the 4th International Conference on Foreign Language Teaching, held in Beijing in October 1999. In this paper I suggested that the simultaneous teaching of foreign language and culture would produce optimum results.
Culture not only has impact on language learning, but also affects communication among people from different cultural backgrounds. I have worked as an English interpreter for several international conferences and expositions held in Beijing (see resume) since I was a sophomore. This gave me good opportunities to meet people from different parts of the world. While accomplishing my task successfully every time, I did encounter occasions when communication had to break down due to inappropriate use of communicative skills or lack of cultural awareness from either the part of interlocutors or sometimes me -- the interpreter. Since different cultures often hold different philosophies about norms of behavior, this difference may result in barriers in cross-cultural communication. Then how can cross-cultural interpersonal communication be most effective? Are there any ways to overcome communication barriers other than those that are caused by language obstacles?
Currently I am doing my Masters thesis on interpersonal addressing behavior in China. While language is undergoing constant change with the development of history, the use of address terms in China has also changed as the social and economical situation altered. Basically what I am trying to do is to freed out how the cultural and political changes that have taken place in China have affected the use of address terms among people, and how variables like age, sex, occupation and familiarity may influence people's selection of certain address terms. Moreover, a speaker's choice of a particular address form in a conversation often shows the relationship between the speaker and the hearer and can sometimes reflect the speaker's motivation and feeling in a certain context. In this sense, address behavior is more important as a pragmatic and sociolinguistic phenomenon than as merely an instance of linguistic performance.
I decided to further my study in the area of interpersonal communication at Purdue University because its communication graduate program is an American leader in this field. Furthermore, I found the interdisciplinary nature of the department and the size and diversity of the faculty and student body very appealing. Upon completion of the advanced training in your program, I hope to become a professional researcher in interpersonal communication in my homeland.
In 1986, with the discovery of high temperature superconductors (HTS), I was deeply attracted by this magic material and relevant technology especially RF & microwave techniques. From that time on, I decided to do research work in this field.
In 1994, due to my outstanding performance in high school, I was admitted to the Department of Electronic Science and Engineering of Nanjing University which is one of the top 3 universities in China. During my undergraduate study, I furnished myself with solid foundations of mathematics, physics, computer science and engineering science. I got the highest grades in my class in many major courses such as Foundations for Microwave Theory and Techniques, Computational Methods, C Programming Language etc. My overall GPA is 89.6% and ranks top 2 among 86 students in my class. As a result, I won a number of scholarships and honors (refer to my resume).
In 1998, I was admitted to the graduate program in our department, waived of the entrance examinations. Now majoring in Radio Physics, I focus my research work on microwave electronics, microwave/millimeter-wave application of superconductivity and solid-state materials and devices. Undoubtedly, this is a promising and exciting field and I would like to devote my future career to this field.
Abundant Experiences in Circuit Design, especially Microwave Circuits To be an excellent scientist, I must not only be equipped with solid theory, but also be able to grasp outstanding experiment skills. Thanks to my high intelligence and hard work, I almost got an "A" in all my experimental courses. In my sophomore year, I was selected to be a RA in Applied Electronics Education Center and became one of the leaders in the Student Electronic Science Union. That semester, I was awarded "Outstanding Member" of this Union. In 1996, I enrolled in the Microwave Device Laboratory, where my creativity and laboratory capacity were highly promoted under the direction of Professor A. In contrast to the traditional network synthesize method, I initially wrote a CAD program using C language. Then with the aid of this program, I successfully designed an elliptic function filter using 3cm waveguide with excellent performance. I also fabricated a kind of little thin absorbing load using new materials. These achievements brought me the first prize in "5.20" student academic forum of Nanjing University in that year.
Expanded My Research Experience and Capacity in the SE-Lab When I was enrolled into the graduate program in our Department (EL) in September 1998, I chose to join the famous Superconductor Electronics Laboratory (SE-Lab) without any hesitation. In the SE-Lab of Nanjing University there is an excellent research group work in SE-Lab included a novel type of Josephson Junction and its application in microwave & millimeter wave devices, HTS frequency mixer, Passive superconducting thin film circuits and RSFQ circuits etc. Led by Professor (name), one of the seven members of National Superconductor Experts Committee and IEEE &IEE fellow, SE-Lab has became an advanced laboratory in these fields in China. In SE-Lab, I continued to strengthen my background in microwave technology and got more experience in this field. On the other hand, I systematically studied the structure, attribution of superconductors and relevant techniques. Thus, I combined these fields and mainly focused my research on microwave applications of superconductivity.
Testing F4IC's and Superconducting Thin Film Circuits & Devices One of my current research projects engages in the Microwave Near-Field Microscopy (MNFM) and its applications. This project is co-sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation and Telecommunications Advancement Organization (TAO) of Japan. Under the direction of my advisor, Professor A, a young and prospective scientist, I have constructed a set of measure system using HP-8510C vector network analyzer controlled by a computer. A high Q coaxial (/4 resonator together with a niobium tip have been designed and involved as the scanning probe in this SMNFM system. By monitoring the resonant frequency fr and the quality factor Q of the resonator while the sample is scanned by an XY-translation stage, I have studied the local microwave properties of many solid-state materials and circuits such as metal thin films and MIC's, dielectric materials and superconducting thin films. Especially now, I am doing experiments to test the microwave tuning properties of ferroelectric or anfiferroelectric materials and thin films such as BST, PZT etc. I will further use these materials to fabricate microwave frequency tuning resonators and filters.
Using MNFM, we can easily get information about the surface resistance Rs distribution on samples such as metal thin films and superconducting thin films. I also did much work on the measurement of absolute Rs value of superconducting thin fdms. We used a high Q sapphire cylindrical resonator in our Rs measurement system and calibrated it using another sapphire cylinder and Ag thin film, thus we can compute the Rs of the superconducting thin films under test.
Specialize in Device Modeling and Computation In order to promote the MNFM system's performance, I modeled the probe with several analytical methods and numerical methods such as FD, FEM and FDTD using C language and Matlab PDE toolbox. The results and the experimental data fit very well. According to the conclusions we obtained from numerical analysis, the spatial resolution of this system has been greatly improved to be several microns. During our experiments, we read the data from HP-8510C through IEEE488 bus cable. Corruption of this data occurs because of external tremor, crosstalk between the transmission lines and between coupling structures. So I introduced the Lorentzian fit method in my controlling program to accurately and precisely measure the resonant frequency fr and the quality factor Q of the resonator who observed the Josephson Effect shortly after the discovery of HTS in the world. Our probe. This has greatly promoted the sensitivity of our MNFM system. I am now trying to use phase vs. frequency fit method to promote the sensitivity further.
Design and Fabricate Superconductive Microwave Circuits/Devices The low loss property of superconducting thin f'fims enables high frequency passive microwave structures/devices with high Q-values, such as resonators, filters, transmission lines or phase shifters. Cooperating with one of my peers, I have fabricated a YBCO CPW band-pass filter on MgO substrate and simulated it using the Sonnet EM and Pspice.
Planar patterning of high-Tc superconducting thin films is one of the important techniques for successfully fabricating the superconductive microwave devices and circuits. Although the standard photolithography and chemical etching have been used in patterning the high-Tc thin ffims, edge degradation often occurs due to acid solution and causes a negativeimpact on the performance of the high-Tc microwave devices. I also did many experiments to study the planar pattering of the YBCO thin film devices by laser irradiation and ion plasma treatment. The microstructure and superconductivity of modified YBCO thin films were obtained and the microwave properties were also studied using MNFM.
In addition, I participated in some other projects such as the novel type of Josephson Junction and its application in microwave & millimeter-wave band, YBCO thin ffim fabrication, HTS frequency mixers, RSFQ circuits etc. I have also published many papers together with my advisor and peers (refer to my publications).
Other Academic Activities As a graduate student, I feel it necessary to be informed about the latest worldwide knowledge especially with that concerning my major. About two years ago, with Professor A's recommendation, I became a student member of IEEE MTT society. Through reading a lot of magazines and doing other academic activities such as participating in national symposiums and international conferences, I have broadened my horizon and promoted my major proficiency. As a result, I was awarded the "Excellent Graduate Student of Nanjing University" twice (1999 and 2000).
In Spring 2000, I was selected by Professor Peiheng Wu to give oral reports on my research work in English to Professor A from Hokkaido University (Japan) and Professor B from Tokyo Institute of Technology (Japan), who came to visit our lab. They were very interested in my work. This year, Mr. C (Iraq) came to our lab to be a post doctor. We often communicate technique problems with each other using English without any difficulty. From these practices, I believe that I will be a qualified Ph.D. student in your university in U.S.A.
I Hope to Pursue Advanced Study Abroad With the development of electronics and computer techniques, working frequency band of electronic devices become higher and higher. So microwave and millimeter-wave technology represents one of the most active and fast developing branches of electrical science and engineering. In order to keep up with the enhancing pace of working frequency and to improve the high frequency performance of electronic circuits and devices, new low loss electronic materials must be researched. Many years of extensive study in electronic science & engineering and current research work have given me a solid basis in microwave theory and technology, solid state electronics and superconductive electronics and inspired me to undertake challenges in pursuing a doctorate degree in the above fields. Especially the microwave and millimeter-wave application of superconductivity that combines the above fields offers me the greatest challenge. V/hat I lack is more systematic study and more research experience.
My supervisors Professor A and Professor B introduced me to your famous department and suggested that I read your publications, and from the publications I learned about the research groups in the Department of Electrical Engineering. Their superior laboratories and facilities deeply impress me. Especially their achievements in microwave/millimeter-wave electronics, RF circuits and IC design and measurement make me realize that there are many respectable professors with distinguished wisdom and foresight in this department. So I am very eager and hope I can be a graduate student of a professor in UCLA and acquire his/her continuous guide in my path toward a Ph.D. I believe this kind of guidance is very crucial to my future academic career.
China, my motherland, an ancient country, which has a splendid national culture, is going to enter a new phase of development especially in electrical fields and information technology (IT). Thus for us responsible young Chinese, we have an obligation to grasp the opportunity to fulfill our historical responsibility. Having experienced both success and failure in my study and research work, I am confident in my capability of tackling research problems independently. Due to the limit in the experimental conditions and other constraints, I am quite eager to continue my study and gain more advanced knowledge at the University of California, Los Angeles. After my graduation, I will come back and continue my research work.
January 1, 2000, as usual, I was concentrating on debugging the computer program and inspecting the instruments in the quiet laboratory. After a brief examination, I switched the ignition power on. A dazzling ray of laser flashed, while a distinct heating curve appeared on the screen. The unfolding scene brought a satisfactory smile across the face of the elderly lady beside me.
It was the first day of a whole new millennium when I first gained reliable results for the project "Measurement for the Thermal Conductivity with Flash Method." One semester later, the system was introduced into many colleges general physics laboratories. When that lady, Professor D, initially enrolled me into this project, I thought it was no more than an easy programming task. Later these original research works intrigued me more and more. Often I thought over the program and electronic curcuits in the laboratory from day till night; then trekked back to my dormitory on the other side of the campus still with them in my mind. The raptures I felt for each progress, the beginning paragraph as an example, are unforgettable. This can be regarded as my first step in a formal research career of science. Contented with my fruitful performance and programming skill, Professor D led me to two other projects.
My interest of science dates back much earlier. As a naughty boy, I was curious of the surrounding world. Physics was my first friend. It told me the basic principles of various phenomena. Besides my curiosity, the conflict between my external vigor and internal tranquility also compelled me to study -- a perfect way to unite them. So I studied strenuously in the Science Class courses. As a byproduct of my enthusiastic effort, I won a first class prize (ranked 6th) in the China Physics Olympiad. That entitled me to enter any of the top Chinese universities without examinations. Then, there came the choice for a major. I have dreamed of being a pioneer in the realm of creative technology, thus I chose physics to get a general understanding for science and technology.
My undergraduate years were substantial and successful. Not only did I maintain an excellent standard in academic studies, but also undertook various research works. These can be confirmed by my high grades, and many honors. To facilitate advanced study, I also selected many courses of electronics. Discussing problems with several ingenious peers was enjoyable part of life, too. Most important of all, the detailed layout of my future pursuit with science had been set: Nanotechnology, Electronic Materials and Devices. To invent new devices or improve the properties of existing ones, is the very challenge that I have been zealously seeking.
The idea has lingered in my mind since long ago, and it became more enterprising recently, l,ast summer I started to do my Diploma Thesis at Laboratory (name), an open laboratory in Chinese Academy of Sciences. My subject is really difficult to conduct molecular dynamic simulation of self-assembled nanostructures on the reconstructed silicon surface. In order to get a full comprehension of this subject, I had to consult with many researchers and refer to academic issues such as Phys. Rev. Lett, Mater. Sci. Nevertheless, my program never seemed to work. It thoroughly frustrated me and I even wanted to give up. Fortunately my tutor, Professor G, came to encourage me: "Your nice program is very useful. Don't you think that you are contributing to the impending modern age?" He mentioned that the whole project concerned with high-density information storage was honored "towards the next generation of CD" by the Science News. Meanwhile the web news reported that Electronics became one of the leading fields in the US. These facts profoundly clarified my career view. Electrical Engineering is a perfect bridge between theoretical research and its applications. By exploring Electrical Engineering, the most ESSENTIAL and PROMISING technology, I can expedite the development of the new age. For example, future Quantum Computers may use novel devices designed by me. Considering my resolution, it is probably not surprising that my research is in steady progress now.
These rich experiences, combined with my strong knowledge background and youthful ambition, drive me to pursue my longtime fascination with electrical materials and devices further. Another advantage for me is my proficiency in computer programming. In addition to my demonstrated works, for example, I have carried some data processing works in a state key laboratory and made a video of the magnetocardiography.
As for my future plans, I hope to study in depth towards a Ph.D. degree in the US. Among the top institutions, PRINCETON attracts me most. I couldn't resist the opportunity to work in the best campus of science and technology in the world. Princeton's N Laboratory is my first choice. I understand that your graduate program is very demanding, and I have always been preparing for the challenges. My excellence in both theoretical and experimental studies will guarantee my potential for your requirements.
If admitted, at first I will continue building a firm knowledge foundation and later enjoy my pleasure in some high-quality research works. During the last year or so of my Ph.D. program, I will get ready to return to my motherland and take a vital profession. In terms of a career, I see myself taking theoretical calculation, analyzing experimental data, and applying new achievements to feasible technology.
Once I experienced pain when I had my knees bruised during the Sports Meeting last year. But the decathlon competition intoxicated me so deeply that I did not give up. Thrillingly I finished as 4th of all 16 competitors, and the triumph became one of my special memories. In sum, Electronics is the same adventure for me. Eventually, aspirations generate inspirations.
Opto-electronics is a beautiful combination of optics and electronics. It is where I will dedicate myself, where my career will be and where my happiness lies. I started to enjoy doing experiments in optics and electronics in high school. One of my childhood dreams was to be a successful scientist, and I made a serious promise to my grandmother that I would study in the best university in China, Tsinghua University. Ten years later I turned this dream into a reality. I was admitted into Tsinghua University with the highest score on the College Entrance Examination in my county that had a total population of 530,000 in 1993. Because I was so fascinated by the splendid nature of various optical and electrical phenomena, I chose Optics as my major without hesitation. When I finished my undergraduate study, three labs accepted me as a graduate student and even waived their entrance exams. I finally chose "all optical fiber quantum communication" as my graduate thesis, according to my personal interest. During my three years of Work I found that the overall level of electro-optics technology in China is far behind many other countries. To improve this, I want to learn more modern concepts and technologies at your esteemed university. I am confident that I can attain more achievements in this field.
How Did I Prepare Myself for This Goal?
My four-year undergraduate program at Tsinghua University and the three-year master degree program at the Chinese Academy of Sciences built a solid base of optics and opto-electronics for me.
In order to find out how to use and control various optical phenomena, I feel I must learn more about electronics and computer control. I have taken most of the major courses offered by the electrical engineering department of Tsinghua. As a result, the total credit I earned during my bachelor degree program was 210, which was much more than the required 180. The more I learned, the more I wished to turn my ideas into reality.
I think seriously of improving my practical ability. In my undergraduate program, there were many experimental courses, such as the modern optics lab, the electronics lab, etc. I treated every opportunity seriously to achieve progress. I began my research activity in the third year of my undergraduate study. In my first project "Design and setup of three-dimensional laser shows", I diligently studied Single Chip Micyoco Control methods and learned how to control a variety of patterns. I also took part in a series of projects such as assembling several kinds of lasers, helping to design new instruments and repair some apparatus for the lab. For my undergraduate diploma project that I worked on from January 1997 to July 1997, I successfully designed and constructed a single photon-counting system with silicon avalanche photodiodes in the Geiger mode.
To get more work experience in academia, especially in opto-electronics, I chose to begin my graduate program at the Lab of Optical Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. My graduate research has focused on quantum communications. This is a new hot field that involves many subjects such as quantum optics, fiber optics and electronics. I had to study many new theories and technologies, and I discussed theoretical and experimental problems not only with my advisors but also with fellow students and colleagues outside the institute. I have gained much practical experience of opto-electronics in the process of solving detailed problems such as maintaining the stability of the whole optical fiber interferometer system, increasing the speed of the single photon detector while decreasing the dark counts, and synchronizing the whole communication system. Finally, I implemented the first aH fiber experimental quantum key distribution systems in China.
Besides my main project, I also participated in other research projects in our lab. They are all fascinating and I got a lot of first class experience at the frontiers of quantum optics and quantum information. In order to acquire more knowledge in this field, I attended the workshop on "Quantum entanglement and quantum information" organized by The China Center of Advanced Science and Technology (CCAST) in the summer of 1999.
I also paid close attention to new progress in computer science and technology, information technologies and semiconductor technology. I mastered ASIC technology that delivers unparalleled design flexibility to EDA engineers through an engineering project.
Five years of research experience infused my enthusiasm with a better sense of direction. I came to know what I really wanted and what I had to do to fulfill my goal. Although my BS is in physics, I now prefer to work in solving practical problems. With my strong physics background and experience in opto-electronics I am sure I can fulfill and contribute to a Ph.D. Program in Electrical Engineering. I am waiting for challenges in the future with expectation and joy.
Why Your Institute?
During my graduate research, I clearly realized I need more advanced knowledge and skill to fulfill my goal. The research conditions in China are too difficult to realize many ideas that come into my mind. I consider Northwestern my First Choice chiefly because it has a distinguished educational and research reputation, and my major research interest is a good match to so many faculty members.
If possible, my main interest in the future will be focused on opto-electronics (include photonics) at Northwestern. I feel that I am qualified to study opto-electronics both theoretically and experimentally. It is my plan to engage in research at Northwestern, and prepare myself for both the most advanced theoretical methods and the newest experimental skills in this field. I will make my best efforts to contribute to the advancement of opto-electronics after my graduation from Northwestern.
A familiar vigor grasped me the first time I read about Princeton's graduate program on microelectronics. I instantly realized what my next destination is.
This special vigorous feeling can be traced back to my high school days. Bored with the unchallenging contents taught in class, I was by chance introduced to Subject Olympiad, the competition of intelligence. Though it seemed rather like a dream for a first-year high school student, this goal constantly urged me to contest with the most outstanding students around.
Through a chain of screening tests, I finally became one of the five-member team to attend the 28th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) on behalf of China. On the airplane, our director said, "IPhO is a kind of experience, not a career. But this particular experience may explore one's potential to complete any career in the future." Impressed and inspired by that spirit, I earned a gold medal in Sudbury, Canada, ranking first among my teammates. Several days later when I stood in front of the Niagara Falls, I experienced the peacefulness of seeing one dream come true. It was then that I decided to dedicate my life to scientific research.
The same aspiration also contributed to my choice of electrical engineering in Tsinghua University, whose EE department was reputedly the best in China. Needless to say, all my fellow schoolmates are excellent students. Again I experienced the vitality of competing with them, and the joy of learning from them. Tsinghua provides its students with remarkable theoretical lectures and empirical training, which makes me feel just like a fish in water. I soon adjusted to the pronounced academic atmosphere here. My solid foundation in physics and mathematics also added to a particular interest in theoretical research work. All of my academic records are ample proof of my dedication to studying: straight "A" in physics courses, highest scores in many difficult courses of my major etc. I demonstrated my academic potential in raising my class rank from third in my freshman year, to second as a sophomore, and finally first in my junior year. My total ranking over the past three years is 2nd in 58. Every year I also won top scholarships in Tsinghua.
Experienced tutors often say that a high-score-only student is seldom a fulfilled one, and that success highly depends on one's personality in which the ability of working well in a group is the most important. I have always enjoyed popularity and trust in class and was elected class monitor in my sophomore year. In addition, I led my undergraduate years in a colorful way: playing badminton in a school sports meeting, publishing poems in school journals, winning the second prize in the Tsinghua University's Contest of Traditional Chinese Culture Knowledge, etc. These extracurricular achievements surely diversified my talents and contributed to my confidence.
My internship in the Beijing Radio Instrument Factory and my research work in the Institute of Microelectronics of Tsinghua University also helped to focus my objective. These experiences formed a window through which I glanced at the frontier of science and technology. My major, microelectronics, is quite a sophisticated subject. It has led the revolution of science and technology for the past 50 years, and will continue its substantial influence on the IT industry in the future. Any initiating achievement in this field demands sturdy theoretical basis and profound insight of experimental phenomena. And that is why Princeton's research areas about novel semiconductor devices and materials attract me greatly.
In this stage of my life, I have many ambitions, the first step of which is to carry on my study until the doctorate level, and then to do research work in the acme of technology. Attending Princeton is surely a dream for distinguished students all over the world, especially the ones who love physics. The intense competition for this opportunity is a new challenge for me and I face it with strong confidence. I believe that, given the chance, an education from Princeton will provide me with invaluable experiences for my long-term goal of becoming a first-rate researcher in the new millennium.
My purpose in pursuing a Ph.D. study is to obtain both theoretical knowledge and applicable research abilities at a higher level. Within the concentrations of your Ph.D. program of Education, I have great interest in the field of Educational Policy.
It has been five years since I began my career in educational research. Although I majored in Applied Mathematics as an undergraduate and Human Geography in graduate study, I fortunately got a part-time job in the Institute of Humane Resources Development (IHRD), an important research and policy consultation agency of the Ministry of Education (MoE) of China while I was a graduate student. My task was data processing and preparing literature for research projects, in which I undoubtedly benefited from my statistics background and knowledge in Human Geography. Before long I came to know and enjoyed the challenging and interesting work very much. Four months before my graduation in 1995, I took part in the project of "Counting the Full Cost of Primary Education in Undeveloped Areas of China" of SIHRD, consigned by UNICEF and the Financial Department of MoE. That was my first visit to the rural schools and children's families in poor areas of China. I was shocked to see so many children in China had to study in dark and poorly equipped classrooms, and that many others could not go to school because of financial constraints. The influence of the project was so powerful that the government policy was eventually revised to be more favorable to the education in undeveloped areas.
Moreover, the transition of the Chinese economy is challenging the Chinese education system, which calls for a corresponding research to involve government policy-making. It was with these facts in mind that I decided to work in the institute and focus on interest in the fields of Educational Planning and Administration, and Economics & Education in order to do something practical to help those poor children and promote Chinese education at the same time.
The above mentioned research report on the private cost of primary education aroused much attention when it was presented at the annual conference of the National Association of Economics and Education in 1997. This also increased my interest and enthusiasm in the work. Having more and more involvement in research projects and administrative leadership as the vice director of the section of educational administration and policy studies, I familiarized myself with the actual situation of educational finance and policies in China, and gained rich research experience. Since 1998, I have been a co-editor of the Statistical Yearbook of China Educational Expenditure, and have a major responsibility in writing annual development reports on financing of education for MoE, which serves as an important referential document for government decision-making in educational financing. I have been a key member of several important projects, ranging from policies for educational development to educational cost-benefit and cost effective analysis and education for those in poor areas of China, which were entrusted by MoE of China as well as international agencies like UNICEF.
The research reports have had a big influence on government policy-making, resulting in a fairly large impact on the education in rural China. In recent years a series of important education policies have been formulated based on the research projects in which I participated. The report on Costs and Financing of Basic Education in the Poor Provinces of China led to initiation of a three-year Compulsory Education Project to improve the educational conditions of the poor areas of China. The suggestion based on the analysis of the feasible expansion of higher education in 1999 has been adopted. The recommendation for further expansion of post-secondary education during the next five-year period has been on the agenda of the 10th Five-year (2000-2005) plan and a proposal for a cost recovery system of higher education has been put into practice. In recognition of my outstanding performance, I was selected to work as a research associate for Dr. (name) of the Faculty of Education at (university name) in 1998, and I gained high appraisal for both my work and personality.
The research work fostered my independent research ability in educational administration and planning, and the economics of education. However, to address issues in Chinese education, such as inequity and poor qualities, acute scarcity but big wastes of educational resources etc., needs systematic study about education, especially methodologies and theories for conducting research in this regard. Moreover, the 8-month fruitful work with Dr. (name) gave me a stimulus for a further study in the area of Economics and Education. The research project I was involved in, the intensive study in the library after work, and attendance of several courses (Education and Economic Development, Educational Planning, etc.) made me more aware of what Educational research means to the developing nations like China.
The diverse and professional curriculum at the College of Education, Michigan State University is the greatest attraction to me. I hope to develop advanced knowledge in the area of Educational Policy. Under the guidance of your faculty and with the use of your modern facilities, I will be able to pursue further knowledge in the field, especially systematic educational research theories and methodologies. With my work experience, my statistics background and the desire to study, I am confident that I have the ability to accept any challenges that may come to me.
After graduation, I would like to continue my research work in China, to do more for the realization of education for all, especially for the children in poor areas.
As an MA student in economics at Fudan University, I have been enjoying productive research experiences in the area of international economics, especially on the monetary side. I now would like to pursue Ph.D. studies in a program in which I could further my research in this field. Your program is one of the precious few that will set a good stage for me. Being the best student at my high school, I had the highest scores in the National College Entrance Examination in my county, which put me in a good situation to enter World Economy Department at Fudan University. In the undergraduate study, I built a solid foundation in economic theories and quantitative methods, and my hard work landed me at the top 5% of my class. With my impressive performance, I was offered the People's Scholarship every academic semester, an honor given to the students who have outstanding academic performance.
Just as important as my academic records were the research experiences and expertise I got from my internship in the Yangtse Economic Research Center. I joined the center at the advice of Professor Chen Zhilong as a research assistant when I was a junior. During that period, I participated in a large research project named "Economic Effect of FDI in Pudong". My duty in that project was to interview CEOs of MNCs in Shanghai and to analyze the related FDI database. This gave me a good opportunity to learn how to apply theories to practice as well as the importance of cooperation. Further more, this position pushed me to read more advanced economic literature and sharpened my skill in computer-based analysis. The experience piqued my interest in doing academic research in the field of international economics, and cemented my decision to venture into graduate study.
While I was accepted into the M.A. program in the World Economy Department without any examinations, a privilege granted to the top 5% students, China was about to enter the WTO. What would happen to China's banking system and what should be the monetary target of the Central Bank of China after the WTO? I focused my graduate research in this area. These efforts, among others, contributed to my articles of "Analysis of Game on the Capital Requirement between Central Bank and Non-State-Owned Commercial Banks" and "A Comparative Study of Intermediate Target Variables of Monetary Policy and Its Enlightenment."
The article of "Analysis of Game on the Capital Requirement between Central Bank and Non-State-Owned Commercial Banks", with the support of Gorton and Winton's model (1999), offered a new perspective of the banking system in China. As I found, with the liberalization of financial markets mandated in the WTO agreement and the up-coming fierce competition from foreign banks, the central bank of China should encourage the non-state-owned banks to increase their capital, rather than mandate them to do so, because mandate of capital increase may eliminate liquidity-lacking non-state-owned banks from the banking system. Published in the Studies of International Finance (July 2000), a leading economic journal in China, this article shed light on the optimal policy of the Chinese government to prepare well for the eminent entry into the WTO.
After comparative studies of the international experience of monetary targeting, I arrived at a conclusion on the appropriate monetary target of China in the article "A Comparative Study of Intermediate Target Variables of Monetary Policy and Its Enlightenment". This article analyzed the M2-Y relationship in China since the mid-80's. I concluded that with the breakdown of the money-income relationship after the mid-90's, China should change its intermediate target from the M2 to the inflation rate. Published in Economic Information (April 2000), this article, together with the above one, earned me the Sasagawa Ryoichi Scholarship, the highest graduate honor in Fudan University.
During the research period, I was increasingly convinced that both topics will become more complicated with the integration of China into the world economy, especially with the liberalization of the financial markets after the WTO entry. In order to explore these and related topics better in the open economy, it is important for me to have a deeper understanding of international economics. While I have been acquainted with the necessary framework in this field, I know that to be more insightful, I need to pursue still more advanced studies, and thereby, acquire more systematic training in analytical skills and a more concrete theoretical foundation.
The Ph.D. program of the Department of Economics at Ohio State University, appeals to me because of its strong faculty in international macroeconomics and monetary economics, including particularly Professor Stephen G. Cecchetti and Associate Professors George Alessandria and Eric Fisher. Therefore, I am convinced that it will be very helpful in my research career if I have the ready access to their seasoned guidance. I also believe that my on-going research will be greatly benefited by the broad spectrum of courses and workshops in your department, especially those in relation to international economics, money and banking, and macroeconomics.
Hence, upon careful comparison of different Ph.D. programs of economics, I have found that yours stands out as one of the precious few that are capable of bringing my intellectual potential to the fullest. My career plan is to teach at a major university, where I hope to make significant contributions to academic research in economics. If I should be accepted into your program, you would, a few years down the road, find a Chinese economist of the same caliber as that of yours.
