Statement of Purpose

Rohit Agrawal Graduate Applicant, Fall 2016

We live in an era where smart systems are going well beyond the limitations of human-entered data.
This has been made possible with software, sensor and networking technologies which help in gathering
and analyzing vast amounts of information. My own goal of pursuing a graduate degree in Electrical
Engineering in the domain of wireless networks stems from my undergraduate work and life experiences
which have moulded me into the person I am today.
I am currently an undergraduate student in Electronics & Instrumentation Engineering at BITS Pilani,
India. Beyond the classroom, I have taken the initiative of undertaking a number of research projects
under the tutelage of faculty members. A key project that I would like to highlight is Protocol Stack
Development for Underwater Networks. This included simulation and testbed implementation of a
TDMA based MAC for a 3D architecture of nodes. My research paper on a static TDMA was presented
at NCC’15 - an IEEE sponsored conference. I did further work to overcome the limitations of a static
TDMA and developed a dynamic TDMA with slot expansion and rotation. A research paper on the
same is currently under review in the Elsevier Journal of Network and Computer Applications.
In an effort to go beyond simulations and deploy such protocols at sea, I sought an opportunity to do
further work and write an undergraduate thesis at the Acoustic Research Lab at National University
of Singapore (NUS), a pioneer in this field.
My thesis at NUS has fuelled my desire to pursue a graduate degree specializing in wireless networks.
At NUS, I have worked on designing an address resolution protocol for underwater networks. From
developing it on paper to testing it out at sea, this has given me an end-to-end experience of working
with protocol development. The project did have its share of challenges. One of the major roadblocks
that I faced was the issue of network scalability. An increase in the number of nodes increased the
number of data packets in the network. In order to reduce collision of data packets, I had to learn
how to solve a multi-dimensional optimization problem. Eventually, after hundreds of simulations, I
scaled the protocol to a network of 64 nodes from an initial starting point of 10 nodes. In solving this
problem I sensed an opportunity to develop a mathematical model to reduce packet collisions. This
eliminated the need to deploy centralized and computationally intensive contention free MAC protocols.
A research paper based on my consolidated thesis findings has been submitted to Oceans’16.
In terms of academic preparation, my undergraduate education at one of the top engineering schools
in India has provided me with a good mix of practical and theoretical education. I have particularly
enjoyed courses like Signals & Systems and Microprocessors & Interfacing. Apart from academics, I
have been closely associated with Nirmaan, a non-governmental organization working in one of the
underprivileged areas near my university campus. This experience has developed in me a strong sense
of social responsibility and a commitment to give back to the society that I have grown up in.
The ability of sensor networks to provide a real-time interactive environment enabling a remote observer
to monitor, extract and analyze real-time data is of high interest to me. The seamless connection of
the physical word with the digital world, which is being called Internet-of-Things, has opened endless
possibilities. Based on an estimate from Cisco, there are likely to be 50 billion Internet-connected
devices in the not-so-distant future. This is going to change the world in many substantive ways. My
research work at NUS coupled with my undergraduate education has seeded my interest and helped
me lay the foundation of a career in research in this field.
I believe that Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), with its highly qualified faculty and world-class
research facilities, will provide me with the right mix of academic opportunities and research experi-
ence. I am especially interested in the research being conducted by Dr.Ragunathan Rajkumar at your
university. The exhaustive work being done in the domain of cyber-physical systems and autonomous
cars at the Real-Time & Multimedia Systems Lab and the General Motors Collaborative Research Lab
respectively perfectly align with my research interests. I expect to gain technical knowledge and prac-
tical expertise with which I will contribute to research projects currently underway at CMU and make
progress towards my overall career goal of becoming a researcher, based either at a university or in the
industry. Finally, I would like to thank the admissions committee for taking the time in reviewing my
application.