Personal Statement

For as long as I can remember, all my academic and personal success has been sparked
by my exposure to creative ideas and innovative design. My graduate school aspiration of
fabricating new solar cell devices enhanced by nanostructures is a product of my undergraduate
exposure to cutting-edge technology in electrical engineering and materials science. My
outstanding performance in high school was due to the motivation and inspiration I gained from
participating in a fourth grade Gifted and Talented science fair. Others may consider this science
fair to be the beginning of my research experience, but I will argue that the original spark that
started it all was my childhood obsession with Legos.
The quantitative precision and creative beauty of Legos gave me the ability to make
anything I could ever want cars, planes, robots, buildings, giant robot-car-planes that turned
into buildings. At age 7, I may have been too busy filling my room with crazy creations to
observe any philosophical depth in the Lego pieces I owned. But now, after an extensive
undergraduate education in math, physics, and electronic devices, I have realized the striking
similarity between my 2nd grade obsession and my undergraduate research in nanotechnology.
Understanding the universe in terms of its fundamental building blocks is the practical theory
behind all the current research endeavors in engineering, chemistry, physics, and materials
science. I like to think that I have trained myself from childhood to be an innovator in the realm
of all that is small, and I am eager to continue this training. I want to show the world that some
very small innovations will lead to very large changes in our society.
My undergraduate experience at the University of Arkansas has given me opportunities to
work with a wide range of students and faculty. As a freshman I became involved, almost by
accident, in a research project conducted by graduate students in the Optoelectronics and
Semiconductor Devices Laboratory. Three weeks into my college experience, I was working
next to a PhD student assisting with the synthesis of carbon nanotubes using high temperature
chemical vapor deposition. These nanotubes, with the theoretical potential to revolutionize
virtually every realm of modern technology, were the holy grail of scientific research that
captured my interest so much in high school. I couldnt imagine being more thrilled about my
field of study, but it did become more exciting with every semester. At the end of my freshman
year, I was invited to travel with several graduate students to a Materials Research Society
conference in Boston. This was my first glimpse into the true extent of my newfound scientific
community, and while it gave my big engineering ego a well-deserved dose of humility, it

inspired me to expand my knowledge base and continue searching for my own scientific
innovation.
In the summer of 2009, I finally took my ambition overseas during a multi-disciplinary
study abroad program in Iceland focused on renewable technology and sustainability. Iceland
has a remarkably advanced civil infrastructure, and they are geographically blessed with readily
available renewable energy sources, particularly hydroelectric and geothermal sources. Touring these
power facilities, meeting Icelandic engineers, and enjoying the pristine cleanliness of their
environment motivated me to work towards some contribution to society that would allow all
nations and all people to live a sustainable lifestyle. At the end of our program, the American
students had the opportunity to conduct two weeks of independent research on a specific
renewable technology topic of their choice. I investigated an implementation of smart grid
technology for an isolated Icelandic village through the use of demand-response systems.
Studying the use of renewable technology in a full-scale implementation has greatly contributed
to the intellectual merit of my undergraduate career, and studying with people from different
cultural and technical backgrounds has helped to broaden the future impacts of my research.
Beginning my junior year, I was selected to be the Electrical Engineering Recruiter for
the College of Engineering. This job is an extremely unique and beneficial opportunity because
it has allowed me to integrate many of my technical, interpersonal, and leadership talents with
my interests in engineering and educational outreach. Without a doubt, this position has
provided me excellent experiences that directly contribute to the broader impacts of my research
career, and it often gives me the chance to work with underrepresented students in Arkansas. I
meet with high school students and their families on a regular basis to give academic advice and
personal tours of the facilities. I am also responsible for actively corresponding with elementary,
middle, and high school students as an academic mentor for their electrically-focused research
projects. These projects include powering a simple DC motor with a solar panel, creating series
and parallel solar panel designs, and designing a fully-integrated remote-controlled electric boat
capable of solar battery charging. Ive also coordinated and supervised many classroom projects
in which students work together to design small electric windmill generators and build
electromechanical catapults two projects that I helped design for educational outreach. My
most noteworthy achievement in recruiting and student mentoring has been the development of
our Colleges Engineering Summer Academy (ESA). ESA is an NSF-funded week-long
engineering camp which gives upper level high school students the opportunity to participate in a

team-oriented engineering design competition. I was responsible for researching, designing, and
testing the weeks curriculum for the combined mechanical and electrical competition, which
was the solar-powered RC electric boat design project previously mentioned.
Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts: This fantastic collection of experience working with
students has been my greatest motivation in continuing my engineering studies. Nothing could
be more inspiring than witnessing younger students become so excited about their first
interaction with the photoelectric effect, or talking to a freshman engineer who chose to study
electrical engineering at the University of Arkansas after I gave them a tour as a high school
senior. My education will be the first step towards educating others, and this wealth of
knowledge will help make solar power a reality for everyone. I strongly believe that my
continued research of solar cell enhancement combined with my desire to expose others to
renewable energy technology will allow me to vastly impact not only the scientific community,
but society as a whole.

Engineering plant fascinates me - I am drawn to the interaction between complex machines and support
systems to achieve a goal. I also have a love of problem solving, by which I mean the identification of a
problem and the selection and implementation of a solution. I find the process exciting and I get a great
deal of satisfaction upon completion.

For a long time I have been attracted to offshore sector, and i think it will suit for me. Having found my
niche, the offshore sector has further fuelled my interest in marine engineering mayor especially in piping
engineering studying program..

I am in piping engineering. This major engineering create its students to be a piping engineer like a
professional who helps to create designs for pipes used to carry fluids such as slurry, gas, or others.
I have been studying a lot of thing as my jobs in the future. Piping engineers must have solid drafting
skills and be analytical so as to make sure that planned piping systems are drawn and built
sufficiently to achieve their desired functions beside that should have strong management skills for
supervising other workers in the field.
i would increase my knowledge and understanding of offshore systems indeed. Because I really want be
there. I should like to study selection of oil and gas plant, fluid mechanic and piping control systems. I
have an interest in these areas and would like to extend my knowledge.

I am in piping engineering. This major engineering create its students to be a piping engineer like a
professional who helps to create designs for pipes used to carry fluids such as slurry, gas, or others.
I have been studying a lot of thing as my jobs in the future. Piping engineers must have solid drafting
skills and be analytical so as to make sure that planned piping systems are drawn and built
sufficiently to achieve their desired functions beside that should have strong management skills for
supervising other workers in the field.