Please review my SOP for MS in computer science .
---------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------
The true way to render ourselves happy is to love our work and find in it our pleasure. When I completed my first computer program, I was fascinated by how the computer was able to do whatever I told it to do. This interest has fueled the choices I took in my academic career and has shaped my ambitions. The urges to learn more and contribute to humankind have driven the course of my academic career for all these years, including my current decision to pursue graduate study.
Goal oriented is how I would describe myself. I wasn't always so focused though. In fact when I passed my school examinations with just seven marks short for a merit list, I had no idea about what I wanted to do.After my higher secondary I was determined to secure for myself a position in the Computer Science, which deals with the areas of Mathematics, Electronics, Computers, Communications and Networks. To accomplish this I had to qualify in the Orissa Joint Engineering Entrance Exam held for state of Orissa, India. I secured a good rank in the examination and a seat in Electrical Engineering at University College Of Enggineering. UCE, affiliated to Biju Pattanaik University of Technology(BPUT) is the oldest & preimere technical college in state of Orissa established in 1956 before IIT, Kharagpur and National Institute of Technology, Rourkela.
During my undergraduate years, a solid technical foundation was laid and my own pursuit of further knowledge helped me learn far more than what I did in my academic courses. The course was based on topics like C programming, OOPS and C++,Comupter Networks, Artificial Intelligence, Numerical Methods etc were my area of focus.My interaction with UCE faculty and academic projects during undergraduate years developed my interest in the field of Computer Science (CS). After completing undergraduate study, I had option of either continuing my education or gaining professional experience. I chose later as it allowed me to support my family and opened up possibility of self financing my higher education.
My work at TechMahindra Ltd. (TML) as Technical Associate familiarized me with various aspects of software development life cycle. As part of collaboration program between TechMahindra and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, I was able to complete Distance Learning programmes in Mobile Computing and Embedded Systems, which added to my wealth of knowledge.I was part of a project which was being developed for Microsoft and Ubiquity Software Corporation plc. The project showcased both the Microsoft Connected Services Framework, and the capabilities of the Ubiquity SIP A/S in an IMS network.We were able to demonstrate the IMS network and call control integrated seamlessly into a Service Oriented Architecture and the world of Web Services. The demo of the application was given at 3GSM in February of 06, and then again at Globalcomm in June 06.Later, I went ahead in creating application with Location based services for smartphones.
In my quest to work more in the field of computer science I joined Nokia (R&D) Development Center, Bangalore, India. There I was part of many critical and research based projects. I started working on creating middleware components for various applications based on an UI framework developed by Nokia Research Center, Tampere. Moving on ahead, I created a Gesture Helper Library for applications to understand the more advanced gestures of touch inputs. Enhancing the capability library to handle multitouch gestures from single touch interaction was a challenge and made me understand the principles of design patterns in Software Engineering.It gives me immense pride and joy when people use those application which uses my software code and library in smartphones like N97 and N8. Then I went ahead with learning Qt framework and was part of Maemo and Meego team. Another critical project was to demonstrate that how QML can be used for rapid, differentiated application development and that applications can have a lifecycle independent from that of platforms. Selecting nine typical iPhone applications, and checking specifically whether they could be re-implemented on N900/N8, looking specifically at whether Qt has what it takes to match the UX offered by the iPhone UI framework and whether Nokia hardware (especially GPU performance and touch input) has what it takes to support iPhone applications.Apart form being a programmer, I was involed in many leadership positions and managed small teams. My experience in NOKIA's vibrant, open and yet highly competitive work culture has been most fulfilling.My tenure at Nokia came to an end when I decided to enhance my experience with an international workplace and moved to Helsinki. Working on the Meego Touch Framework which is the key middleware software components of the Meego platfrom is enriching. I still continue to work on this assignment alongwith Nokia.
I am a regular reader of magazines such as IEEE-spectrum, potentials, chip, computer networks, and computer today, which enabled me to be in touch with the latest developments in information technology.I have been an active member of the coding communities and open-source projects. I started contributing to Kde projects in my leisure time and learn more about the searching and annotation in semantic desktop projects like Nepomuk , RDF, Natural Language programming.I also learn from the OpenCourse Materials and lectures available online and have learned about algorithms, data mining from MIT and Stanford Universities.
During my tenure at Nokia, my project manager suggested that I should apply for a MSc or PhD degree. After pondering over it for a month, I decided against it simply because I was not sure. However, over the years I have come to realize that researching a topic of interest and applying that knowledge practically are the two things that I enjoy most. With this realization, I have set myself a new goal: to carry out advanced research in Computer Science area and to use that knowledge to build a successful business.
From a boy without direction to a man with definite focus, I have come a long way. During this journey, it was not just my hard work but influences of people around me also contributed towards my growth. I therefore file this application with the knowledge that I am applying to one of the best places and more importantly, that I will be among the best people while pursuing my Masters degree. I am confident that research in visual computing in Computer Science area at <> will serve as foundation for attaining my goal. With a strong conviction in my knowledge and ability, I hope to not only become a part of your exciting academic environment but also make a significant contribution at the Department of <> of the <>.
