rk2ray
Dec 27, 2010
Graduate / "Food Process Engineering" - Personal Statement Critique (PhD) [3]
"Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I can not do some thing, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I did not have it in the beginning" - Mahatma Gandhi. I now strongly believe these words of Mahatma Gandhi because during my undergraduate study I had personally experienced that if we do our work with determination and sincerity we can achieve what we desire. I, therefore, wish to continue with the same motto in all my future endeavors.
It is my pleasure to mention that I was born in Guntur, which is located in Andhra Pradesh, a south Indian state and raised in Vallabh Vidyanagar, an educational township, located in Gujarat, a western state of India. The enormous numbers of challenges thrown out by rapid development in science and technology have made me choose Food Technology as a field of study. My formal advanced education started with my undergraduate program in Bachelor of Engineering (B. E.) majoring in Food Processing Technology at A. D. Patel Institute of Technology (A. D. I. T.) affiliated to Sardar Patel University, India. This marked the beginning of one of the most important phase of learning in my life. This course took me a step closer towards fulfillment of my goal of delving deeper into the world of Food Science
My interest in Food Science gained fresh impetus during my high school studies (Kendriya Vidyalaya, affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi). As a part of science project presentations in my 12th grade I worked on a project based on chemistry of food preservatives which was well appreciated by my school fraternity.
In my undergraduate studies, I have benefited from the breadth of the syllabus for the undergraduate program in Food Processing Technology that has given me a comprehensive exposure to the core areas of Food Science and a strong conceptual understanding of the same. In my undergraduate program, I have studied core courses like Food, Nutrition & Biochemistry, Food & Industrial Microbiology, Food Engineering unit operation I and II, Technology of Food Grains, Food Rheology, Sensory Evaluation, Bio-waste Management and Renewable energy, Technology of Milk and Milk products, Bakery and Confectionary technology, Food Standards & Quality Assurance.
Away from class room, I have also gained adequate practical experience through laboratory work, workshops and stimulating lectures by the regular as well as visiting faculty members. I proposed a research project which involved in developing flavored and fortified white bread with beet root juice as water based ingredient. With help of small team, we successfully came up with white bread featuring wheat bread characteristics. During the course of my undergraduate, I joined one of the well reputed food Industries in India, Godrej Hershey Limited as Engineering Intern. All through this period I was getting practical exposure to the processing of soybean for the manufacturing of soymilk, aseptic packaging of food products (Tetrapak), processing of fruits and vegetables into jams, squashes, ketchups, and quality control of processed products etc. I was also included in Quality Assurance auditing team of the plant, responsible for HACCP implementation. Besides, I had also obtained computer (software/hardware) training which included C programming and MS Office, from one of the well reputed computer training institutes in India.
In these four years of study, I have strived to maintain an approach of expending independent effort in all my endeavors. As is often said, the journey of exploring the realm of knowledge and probing into the unknown is infinite and strenuous. However, to me, the desire to fulfill ambitions and the joy from discoveries prevailed over any sense of hardship. My undergraduate program was as rewarding as it was joyful.
Subsequent to my undergraduate program, I undertook a Master's program (Food Process Engineering) at National Center for Food Safety & Techonlogy, Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) and with it I delved deeper into the fascinating world of food science and technology and performed research on one of the emerging trends. Considering the fact that traditional thermal processing techniques have negative effect on some of the vital nutrients present in food, I chose to concentrate on the impact of emerging non thermal processing (High Pressure Processing) on antioxidant activity of fruit based beverages. My M.S. thesis title was "Effect of High Pressure Processing and Dairy on the Antioxidant Activity of Strawberry Bases Beverage" under supervision of Dr. Britt Burton Freeman and Dr. Indika Edirisinghe which was collaborated with California Strawberry Commission and U. S. Food and Drug Administration. The main purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the effect of high pressure processing and dairy on the antioxidant activity exhibited by polyphenolic compounds in strawberry. I am most proud of the fact that after numerous trails, I had established some of the sensitive antioxidant activity assays in the lab and validated them with reference standards. I was also fortunate to get myself associated with various other research projects giving me broader experience to my research background. The paper elicited from the results of this research is under review to be published in research journal. Furthermore, two posters from this research were presented in annual meeting of Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) 2010, CA.
One person's life influences the lives of an unbelievable number of people, one of the most important lessons I learned, being a Teaching Assistant for three semesters and thereafter as a Student Representative for Food Safety and Technology at Student Council at IIT. For me becoming a Student Representative turned out to be a confidence booster. It taught me that the basis for good work is self-reliance and very importantly, time management. My work involved organizing student meetings, addressing issues of student career management and networking with recruiters of industries. This was a distinctively gratifying experience for me, which I feel would stand in good stead in the future.
Further, I would like to mention that I come from a highly cultured and educated family with strong morals and values of highest order. My father is a Professor (Plant Sciences) in the School of Biosciences of Sardar Patel University, India. My mother is a homemaker and also she is one of the active members of Vallabh Vidyanagar branch of Andhra Samithi, a cultural organization of Telugu speaking people living in Vallabh Vidyanagar and Anand. Both my parents have provided me with continuous encouragement and guidance to study and to work hard to acquire my goal in life. They have not only been my guidance in the academic career but also have shaped me to be a better human being. During my childhood my parents always counseled me to study hard and keep my mind disengaged from the existing difficulties. In my opinion, having a solid knowledge of fundamentals was critical to elaborate profound ideas. As a result, I tried hard to build a strong foundation in biology, mathematics and physics during my high school years.
Thus as a graduate, in Food Process Engineering, I am looking forward to progress further to refine my knowledge and skills in my areas of interest. I believe it will also serve to give direction to my goal of a career as a research professional at an academic or industrial, research-oriented organization. Keeping up an inquisitive and explorative attitude, I believe, leads to a constant learning process. So I intend to pursue doctoral (PhD) study in order to reach that goal.
I have exhaustively searched and studied the profiles of many universities in the United States, and I have been captivated by the completeness in education offered by XXX University. My decision to apply to XXX University has been based on the curriculum offered and research work by Dr. XXX's group which I feel is very appealing. I am confident that the guidance of expert faculty members, the library as well as the research facilities will not only bring out the best in me but also help me to explore the ultimate scope of Food Science in the society.
In conclusion, I would like to add that the essence of university education lies in the synergetic relationship between the student and his department. I feel that doctoral study at XXX University will be the most logical extension of my academic pursuits and a major step towards achieving my objectives. I would reiterate my zeal to study at XXX University. I have the enthusiasm, diligence, intelligence and commitment to be a useful person in any given task, I am confident that given an opportunity, I will work to my full capacity in studies. I do believe that study at XXX University will help me to achieve my career objective. I would love to be a part of XXX University. It is my desire to have a mutually beneficial association with XXX University so as to meet a common platform of excellence where I can contribute my best. I am sure that you will find my application and qualification fit for admitting me at your esteemed Institute for the study of PhD program.
I would be grateful to you if I'm accorded an opportunity to pursue my graduate studies with financial assistance at your esteemed institute. I hereby assure you that I will justify your faith in me.
"Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I can not do some thing, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I did not have it in the beginning" - Mahatma Gandhi. I now strongly believe these words of Mahatma Gandhi because during my undergraduate study I had personally experienced that if we do our work with determination and sincerity we can achieve what we desire. I, therefore, wish to continue with the same motto in all my future endeavors.
It is my pleasure to mention that I was born in Guntur, which is located in Andhra Pradesh, a south Indian state and raised in Vallabh Vidyanagar, an educational township, located in Gujarat, a western state of India. The enormous numbers of challenges thrown out by rapid development in science and technology have made me choose Food Technology as a field of study. My formal advanced education started with my undergraduate program in Bachelor of Engineering (B. E.) majoring in Food Processing Technology at A. D. Patel Institute of Technology (A. D. I. T.) affiliated to Sardar Patel University, India. This marked the beginning of one of the most important phase of learning in my life. This course took me a step closer towards fulfillment of my goal of delving deeper into the world of Food Science
My interest in Food Science gained fresh impetus during my high school studies (Kendriya Vidyalaya, affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi). As a part of science project presentations in my 12th grade I worked on a project based on chemistry of food preservatives which was well appreciated by my school fraternity.
In my undergraduate studies, I have benefited from the breadth of the syllabus for the undergraduate program in Food Processing Technology that has given me a comprehensive exposure to the core areas of Food Science and a strong conceptual understanding of the same. In my undergraduate program, I have studied core courses like Food, Nutrition & Biochemistry, Food & Industrial Microbiology, Food Engineering unit operation I and II, Technology of Food Grains, Food Rheology, Sensory Evaluation, Bio-waste Management and Renewable energy, Technology of Milk and Milk products, Bakery and Confectionary technology, Food Standards & Quality Assurance.
Away from class room, I have also gained adequate practical experience through laboratory work, workshops and stimulating lectures by the regular as well as visiting faculty members. I proposed a research project which involved in developing flavored and fortified white bread with beet root juice as water based ingredient. With help of small team, we successfully came up with white bread featuring wheat bread characteristics. During the course of my undergraduate, I joined one of the well reputed food Industries in India, Godrej Hershey Limited as Engineering Intern. All through this period I was getting practical exposure to the processing of soybean for the manufacturing of soymilk, aseptic packaging of food products (Tetrapak), processing of fruits and vegetables into jams, squashes, ketchups, and quality control of processed products etc. I was also included in Quality Assurance auditing team of the plant, responsible for HACCP implementation. Besides, I had also obtained computer (software/hardware) training which included C programming and MS Office, from one of the well reputed computer training institutes in India.
In these four years of study, I have strived to maintain an approach of expending independent effort in all my endeavors. As is often said, the journey of exploring the realm of knowledge and probing into the unknown is infinite and strenuous. However, to me, the desire to fulfill ambitions and the joy from discoveries prevailed over any sense of hardship. My undergraduate program was as rewarding as it was joyful.
Subsequent to my undergraduate program, I undertook a Master's program (Food Process Engineering) at National Center for Food Safety & Techonlogy, Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) and with it I delved deeper into the fascinating world of food science and technology and performed research on one of the emerging trends. Considering the fact that traditional thermal processing techniques have negative effect on some of the vital nutrients present in food, I chose to concentrate on the impact of emerging non thermal processing (High Pressure Processing) on antioxidant activity of fruit based beverages. My M.S. thesis title was "Effect of High Pressure Processing and Dairy on the Antioxidant Activity of Strawberry Bases Beverage" under supervision of Dr. Britt Burton Freeman and Dr. Indika Edirisinghe which was collaborated with California Strawberry Commission and U. S. Food and Drug Administration. The main purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the effect of high pressure processing and dairy on the antioxidant activity exhibited by polyphenolic compounds in strawberry. I am most proud of the fact that after numerous trails, I had established some of the sensitive antioxidant activity assays in the lab and validated them with reference standards. I was also fortunate to get myself associated with various other research projects giving me broader experience to my research background. The paper elicited from the results of this research is under review to be published in research journal. Furthermore, two posters from this research were presented in annual meeting of Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) 2010, CA.
One person's life influences the lives of an unbelievable number of people, one of the most important lessons I learned, being a Teaching Assistant for three semesters and thereafter as a Student Representative for Food Safety and Technology at Student Council at IIT. For me becoming a Student Representative turned out to be a confidence booster. It taught me that the basis for good work is self-reliance and very importantly, time management. My work involved organizing student meetings, addressing issues of student career management and networking with recruiters of industries. This was a distinctively gratifying experience for me, which I feel would stand in good stead in the future.
Further, I would like to mention that I come from a highly cultured and educated family with strong morals and values of highest order. My father is a Professor (Plant Sciences) in the School of Biosciences of Sardar Patel University, India. My mother is a homemaker and also she is one of the active members of Vallabh Vidyanagar branch of Andhra Samithi, a cultural organization of Telugu speaking people living in Vallabh Vidyanagar and Anand. Both my parents have provided me with continuous encouragement and guidance to study and to work hard to acquire my goal in life. They have not only been my guidance in the academic career but also have shaped me to be a better human being. During my childhood my parents always counseled me to study hard and keep my mind disengaged from the existing difficulties. In my opinion, having a solid knowledge of fundamentals was critical to elaborate profound ideas. As a result, I tried hard to build a strong foundation in biology, mathematics and physics during my high school years.
Thus as a graduate, in Food Process Engineering, I am looking forward to progress further to refine my knowledge and skills in my areas of interest. I believe it will also serve to give direction to my goal of a career as a research professional at an academic or industrial, research-oriented organization. Keeping up an inquisitive and explorative attitude, I believe, leads to a constant learning process. So I intend to pursue doctoral (PhD) study in order to reach that goal.
I have exhaustively searched and studied the profiles of many universities in the United States, and I have been captivated by the completeness in education offered by XXX University. My decision to apply to XXX University has been based on the curriculum offered and research work by Dr. XXX's group which I feel is very appealing. I am confident that the guidance of expert faculty members, the library as well as the research facilities will not only bring out the best in me but also help me to explore the ultimate scope of Food Science in the society.
In conclusion, I would like to add that the essence of university education lies in the synergetic relationship between the student and his department. I feel that doctoral study at XXX University will be the most logical extension of my academic pursuits and a major step towards achieving my objectives. I would reiterate my zeal to study at XXX University. I have the enthusiasm, diligence, intelligence and commitment to be a useful person in any given task, I am confident that given an opportunity, I will work to my full capacity in studies. I do believe that study at XXX University will help me to achieve my career objective. I would love to be a part of XXX University. It is my desire to have a mutually beneficial association with XXX University so as to meet a common platform of excellence where I can contribute my best. I am sure that you will find my application and qualification fit for admitting me at your esteemed Institute for the study of PhD program.
I would be grateful to you if I'm accorded an opportunity to pursue my graduate studies with financial assistance at your esteemed institute. I hereby assure you that I will justify your faith in me.