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Free Sample Personal Statement in Structural Engineering
A simple bridge truss was the first structure I ever analyzed. The
simple combination of beams that could hold cars, trains, and trucks
over a long spans of water fascinated me. Having the tools to analyze
the loads on the truss further increased my interest in structures. I
encountered the bridge in a textbook for my first engineering class.
Knowing that the professor, Mr. John Doe, was a tough teacher, I asked
him for the textbook so I could study and get ready for the class over
the summer. Just arrived from Belize, I was determined to succeed. In
class we learned about forces on simple members and then we put the
members together to form a simple truss. At this point I had almost
decided that structural engineering was the career for me. From there
the class just took off: We went on to frames, distributed loads,
considered friction; basically we were incorporating real world
considerations into structural members. I loved the practical, problem
solving aspects of the field.
At UC my classes were even more advanced. In my analysis and design
classes, I especially enjoyed studying steel design because we not only
learned the use of the load resistance factor design but also applied
that knowledge — I designed a four-story building. The professor was a
practicing engineer, and he always related the subject to real life
steel structures he had engineered, for example, the SB Medical Center,
an all steel building with a base isolated campus. This is the kind of
project on which I would like to work, designing the structure and
considering how the building will respond to ground motion. After two
quarters of structural analysis, I had come as close as possible to
analyzing real world structures.
Looking back I realize, I had learned great tools for structural
analysis, but my "tool box" was still inadequate. I lacked a very
important tool: finite element analysis. According to my professor,
finite element analysis has revolutionized structural analysis.
Although I liked my classes, my internship experiences really confirmed
my interest in structural engineering. While working at Caltrans as a
student volunteer, I reviewed computer grading output for streets under
construction. The computer suggested numbers for the road grading, and I
had to plot the numbers and make sure there were no abrupt grade changes
so the water can drain off easily to the sides of the road. It was
exciting to know that I was the last checkpoint before the whole project
went for approval. It was enjoyable working on something real — Main
Street — but I was somewhat disappointed I did not have the chance to
work on any structures.
At UC I volunteered through the Student Research Program to work in the
geotechnical library. I worked directly with a doctoral student and
helped him to develop a geotechnical data base for the local area. I
interpreted the data Caltrans had collected and recorded it in a form
accessible to the computer and easy to read. It took hours to finish the
job, but I enjoyed the precision involved so I did not mind putting in
the time. My supervisor like my work so much, he hired me to continue
the project during the summer. Working on this project also showed me
the importance of soils in determining buildings’ responses to
earthquakes and awakened my interest in the response of skyscrapers to
seismic stress and movement.
At First Choice U, I plan to enroll in the structural engineering and
geomechanics program. In this program I hope to draw on my structural
analysis and geotechnical research background as a foundation for
studying more advanced concepts. I am particularly interested in
researching the ties between the structural engineering, geomechanics,
and applied mechanics. I believe research is necessary to acquire data
and formulate theories, but it is just as important to know how to apply
those theories and use that data in the real world. I hope to be
involved in some structurally related research at First Choice U. I am
particularly interested in two research facilities: The Structures and
Composites Laboratory and the Earthquake Engineering Center.
After completing my degree in engineering and working on engineering
projects, I know I want to design structures. That is what has
fascinated me since I took Mr. Doe’s class. I also know, however, that
designing structures of a complexity that appeals to me requires "more
tools in my toolbox." Those I can acquire only by continuing my
education. To be competent and competitive I will need a masters degree.
After completing my degree, I would like to work for an American
engineering consulting firm and engineer complex structures and tall
buildings, perhaps focusing on the problems surrounding designing for
earthquakes. My long-
term goals is to return to Belize and found my own engineering
consulting firm
there.
Structural engineering will allow me to pursue a career where I can be
creatively
involved in problem-solving and design functional structures, like the
simple truss bridge that initially captivated me in Mr. Doe’s class. My
classes, work at Caltrans, and internship in geotechnical engineering
have increased my knowledge of and interest in structural engineering
since I first looked at the textbook shortly
after my arrival in the U.S. A masters degree will give me the
up-to-date tools and
knowledge to be competitive and competent. |
