Hey, Plz help me improve on my essay.. I know its too long.. I need suggestions as to how should I cut it short...
Thanks..!!
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
BOOM! Was the sound to which I woke up when I was about 6 years old. Surely wasn't 'Diwali'(the festival of lights in India), but a part of a building sliding down. A year later, an earthquake measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale sent shivers right upto Mumbai, around 500 miles away from Bhuj, the epicenter. These instances were more than enough to scare me about my building crumbling down at any point of time.As I grew older, the fear of a building crumbling down turned into a subject of inquisitiveness, which later turned into fascination about the constructions around me. As a child, I have always perceived Civil Engineers as those who fight a battle against the forces of nature. Securing a rank amongst the top 2% in the All India Engineering Entrance Examination 2008, I took up Civil Engineering as my major in Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (V.N.I.T.), Nagpur. Today I perceive a Civil Engineer as a FORESEER, a PLANNER, a DESIGNER and an ECONOMIST
What I have done so far... (Academically)
As a part of our curriculum, we had to take up a couple of projects as a sophomore. Developing a model to demonstrate the buckling effect by fabricating 3 columns of steel of varying heights with the same cross sectional area and plotting a graph of Length v/s Buckling Load and engineering a model of a hollow pipe, comprising of two different materials: Rubber and Plastic to determine its torsion strength were my first attempts at practically understanding the behavior of materials. These projects helped me lay my foundation for pursing interests in the field of research and development. Subjects like, 'Design of RCC structures', 'Design of steel structures', 'Basic and Advanced Structural Analysis' appealed to me a great deal and catalyzed my interests in the field of Structural Engineering and made me conversant with the designing and analysis aspects of basic structures. Unfortunately I had to miss the final term exam in my 'Foundation Engineering' course due to illness. However I did cover it up in the re-exam schedule and didn't let it affect my graduating year.
My first research experience was at Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore, for which I was among the 3 students handpicked by Dr. K.S.Nanjunda Rao, a Principal Research Scientist, on the basis of our research proposal amongst the applications received from all over India for the summer research internship program. We attempted to study the influence of the in-plane shear strength of Clay brick-Mortar joint using Fiber Reinforced Plastics (FRPs), Glass fiber reinforced Plastics (360 GSM and 600 GSM) and Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (360 GSM). I am currently in the process of learning ABAQUS in order to model my experimental setup and to compare the experimental results with the analytical ones. Technical papers that went through in my initial phase in IISc, gave me an insight into the prominent research work related to my research subjects and most importantly taught me how to systematically go about doing a particular research. It created a profound interest in the field of usage of FRPs as composite materials. I would further like to continue my research related to this field experimentally as well as analytically.
My latest research work was about analyzing the elevated water tanks by using the two methods greatly debated in subject of revising the IS:1893-1984-part-2 code, an Indian Standard Code, which specifies the seismic designing criteria for elevated structures. Primary topic of debate is whether to consider the complete sloshing effect of water in these structures. After analyzing and modeling the structure in ANSYS of 50 existing water tanks, we compared the results and we satisfactorily concluded that the old IS:1893-1984 be revised in accordance with the consideration of the sloshing effect. Our next step is aimed at, to study the effect of introduction of baffle walls in the tank so as to reduce the convective hydrodynamic pressure on the walls. We are also making an attempt to develop a software program for analysis of spring-mass analogies of different structures using Duhammel Integral and are currently doing the same for Newmark-Beta Method using Photon Language.
After my 1st semester as a sophomore I underwent an industrial training in Larsen & Tubro, Mumbai during which I was sent to the Mumbai Mono-rail Project for a month. During the summer I worked with Gammon India Pvt. Ltd. as a paid intern for 1 month in the offshore berth construction project at Mumbai Port Trust. This was one of kind, learning experience about the construction of hydro-structures. Interning during this period gave me some valuable insights into the engineering ingenuity that has been adopted to build a structure in water; a question that always baffled me as a child and even more as a Civil Engineer. This particular practical exposure was one of my most exciting experiences. During these internships I worked in departments like Planning, fabrication and Quality control & assurance. These projects helped me to explore my real interests in the field of civil engineering and gave me a practical perspective about it.
Currently I am working in Coal India Ltd., one of the top 6 public sector undertakings of Government of India and the largest mining company in the world. Even though Coal India is a mining sector company, I am involved in the construction of one of the most important structure for the mining industry, a Coal Handling Plant. Supervising the construction and verifying the structural soundness forms a part of my job profile. Preparing the estimates and handling the tender documents are also a part of my job duties. All these experiences spanning over the wide panorama of the civil engineering industry has given me the much-needed practical industrial exposure forming an integral part of the every successful civil engineering as of today.
EXTRA CURRICULARS
What I intend to do... and Why Structural Engineering...
My interaction with the post-graduation students at IISc presented me with a picturesque description of what a Masters program is all about. Their maturity and engineering astuteness which they attained during their post graduation was quite appealing. Their influence enticed me to take up Masters after my graduation. This particular research program inspired and ignited interest in taking up research work as my career option. Working in Coal India made me realize the importance of sustainability. In the current world scenario of rapid expansion of infrastructural systems, economical and sustainable structures call for prime importance. Hence I want to pursue my research in the field of Fibre Reinforced Plastics and its usage for retrofitting of existing structures particularly for seismic damages. I now wish to continue with my studies, as it will give a better insight into what I have learnt theoretically and experienced practically so far and also, its further application in today's world. I would like to apply for the degree of M.S. in Structural Engineering with a thesis submission program and a possible option for a PhD in the future. At <>, I would like to draw on my Structural analysis, research and practical working experience background as a strong foundation for studying advanced concepts, which will equip me with the up-to-date tools and knowledge to be competitive. A strong foundation in structural engineering, coupled with the desire to learn, technical acumen and my profound interest in research, I believe will hold me in good stead if given an opportunity to pursue my Masters at your university. I am particularly interested in pursuing research work in the field of usage of FRP composites for designing structures for seismic loading.
Why <> University...
Going though the college website, I have noticed that the research projects going on in <> interest me very much. I am very keen to work under Dr. <> and in the research facility of structural and materials laboratory in the <>. This will allow me to contribute something valuable on the global scale to the mankind, which will be coherent with the vision of Civil Engineers in 2025, as foreseen by the ASCE steering committee summit in 2006. I may venture towards a Ph.D. later on as the research field keenly interests me. Finally, I would also like to be a part of an environment that not only encourages learning but also helps in developing good-spirited everlasting friendships. I am eagerly looking forward to be associated with <>.
Oh my goodness, you have so much written about your work and career experience! Amazing! Nothing really stands out to me as writing that wastes space or is meaningless. Everything you wrote is quality and important. I found a few minor things that you may want to change :)
However I did covermake it up in the re-exam schedule and didn't let it affect my graduating year.
Technical papers that went through in my initial phase in IISc, gave me an insight into the prominent research work related to my research subjects and most importantly taught me how to systematically go about doing a particular research.
This sentence is too long.
This was a one of kind, learning experience about the construction of hydro-structures.
All of these experiences spanning over the wide panorama of the civil engineering industry has given me the much-needed practical industrial exposure to form an integral part of the every successful civil engineering.as of today.
Another too-long sentence.
