Graduate / I hope to continue to work in physics; SOP for pursuing Physics at Cornell [3]

So, after the feedback received on my last statement, and after days of thought and writing, here is a new version of my SOP.

I want you to become a theoretical physicist when you grow up". I was about thirteen years old when my father first said that, being inspired by the character Larry Fleinhardt from the the TV series "Numbers" (Stylized "Numb3rs"). Although I never put any serious thought into it at such a young age, partially because I had no understanding of what a theoretical physicist did, and partially because I was developing an interest in electrical motors by reading about them from various textbooks. My interest in engineering was further strengthened by building my own toy tractors out of a mechanical set my grandfather gifted me back then and connecting and powering them with an electric motor.

Having a strong aptitude in natural sciences and advanced mathematics, I chose a major in electrical and electronics engineering with high expectations. However, my interest in the major quickly waned, particularly because a large portion of the content had very little roots in physics (for example software programming or embedded hardware).

As a result, I searched for a new direction. The search for a different direction and an impetus lead me to the Nobel Prize website, and the biographies of several prize winners. Everyone seemed to be doing interesting work and making amazing discoveries. There were a number of scientists who made bold transitions to a field completely different from their educational background, and this gave me the much needed encouragement to make a decision to switch over to physics.

It was a nice surprise to find a nice collection of physics books in my library, considering my university did not have a physics department. My studies in Quantum Mechanics and Relativity began in earnest and it was not long before I considered switching over to physics once I was finished with my undergraduate studies. Ironically, I have decided to take up physics as my future. On a whim, I emailed a few graduate departments, explaining my situation, and received a few encouraging replies, with the mention that it is possible to be a successful physicist with an unusual background.

Although fulfilling the requirements to apply for physics graduate school is quite daunting, especially regarding the extant knowledge applicants are expected to have, which is reflected in subject test scores. Thankfully, not everything during my undergraduate years turned out to be completely useless, given the synergy between engineering and physics, and particularly the common ground of calculus. My classes in circuits, electricity and magnetism equipped me with the necessary mathematical knowledge to tackle undergraduate level problems. And my knowledge in mathematics (both learned in classes and self-taught) allowed me to ease into material on which I had no formal training on.

Given the common ground in engineering and physics, combined with my knowledge of mathematics, a new-found passion of physics and a renewed interest in studying, my pedagogical process went ahead at full-speed. I would attend my engineering classes, finish up homework and assignments as quickly as I could, and devote my nights to study physics. This allowed me enough time and opportunity to cover material taught in undergraduate level physics, including more advanced topics such as relativity, QM in three dimensions, Boltzmann functions and partitions, etc. The sheer effort put into studying physics allowed me to appear for the GRE Physics test, in which I scored a 790, being in the 71st percentile.

As second year ended, I emailed a few physics professors at different universities, asking around if anyone would be interested in taking me in as a research assistant. One professor from the University of Malaya was kind enough to introduce me to a doctoral student of his. The research was focused in super-symmetry. The research was focused on mining through data to search for the existence of any new or exotic particles. My work was review a primer on super-symmetry, and in particular look for equations and models which predict the creation of super-partners in high energy sub-atomic reactions. I have gained immense knowledge during my summer time, learning the Wess-Zumino Model, Chrial and gauge supermultiplets, superfields, and Feynman diagrams associated in supersymmetric reactions and transformations. Besides learning the loops of the day to day activities of a phycisist: going through papers, learning monte-carlo simulations, etc. Besides learning how to do research, I enjoyed the atmosphere of academia: Being able to have lively discussions on physics, new ideas and aspirations for the future over coffee. This is an environment I would very much like to have in my professional career, a desire which fuels my passion of doing research and being part of academia.

An engineering background does give me distinct advantages to do physics research, in experimentation and instrumentation particularly. An engineering background did allow me to develop skills and knowledge in hardware and software. Modern Physics experiments often require the use of programming and microcontrollers to control parameters in various experiments, for example the timing of laser pulses in low-temperature physics experiments, making sensors(Entire sections of physics departments are sometimes dedicated to accelerator physics) and the aforementioned monte-carlo simulation in experiments.

Armed with the necessary knowledge, passion and an unusual background, it is with confidence I apply to Cornell. The physics department in Cornell has a number of characteristics which makes it a great place to pursue graduate studies in. Although I mentioned that my interests lie in particle theory, I would like to experience other fields in physics as well. The first two years at Cornell would allow me to take general courses such as quantum theory. This would allow me to fill any gaps I have in my knowledge followed by specialized courses during the second year to enhance my physics knowledge and the Advanced Laboratory (Physics 6510) course would equip me with the necessary experimental skills. Furthermore, the ability to take courses offered by other departments (With consent from the special committee) would allow me to enhance my knowledge in mathematics (In Differential Geometry, for example), which I firmly believe a physicist should continuously broaden knowledge in.

Furthermore, Cornell has a broad spectrum of research, from the scale of the quantum foam to that of the largest galaxies, in both theoretical and experimental sciences. The research groups that hold particular interest for me are the Theoretical and experimental elementary particle group, carrying out research into "New-Physics" as well as the unification of the standard model with gravity. What makes the particle group even more interesting is its membership with CMS and LHC. With interesting research going on ceaseless, coupled with the cooperative nature among everyone in the department, would allow me to frequently discuss and exchange ideas with supervisors, seniors and colleagues alike, fulfilling the need for an intellectual atmosphere.

All in all, despite the anomaly, I believe that through sheer willpower and tenacity, I will acclimate well to graduate school and hopefully prove to be a valuable asset and a student. After completing graduate studies, I hope to continue to work in physics, be it in huge labs or small groups while shouldering any additional responsibility and hardship; continuing to explore the quantum world and enjoy being surrounded by like-minded and intelligent peers.

Graduate / Understand and work with elementary particles; SOP for pursuing Physics at Cornell. [8]

My reason for wanting to pursue graduate physics in graduate school is simple: to understand and work with elementary particles. The idea of understanding the behaviour of particles with the human mind has been a fascinating prospect for me for quite a while. This interest has been supplanted by reading the biographies of many physicists and their interesting journeys in science. So far, I have mostly limited myself to book knowledge and some minimal research. However, I would like to take this further by pursuing graduate studies ultimately leading to professional development.

The physics department in Cornell has a number of characteristics which makes it a great place to pursue graduate studies in. Although I mentioned that my interests lie in particle theory, I would like to experience other fields in physics as well. The first two years at Cornell would allow me to take general courses such as quantum theory. This would allow me to fill any gaps I have in my knowledge followed by specialized courses during the second year to enhance my physics knowledge and the Advanced Laboratory (Physics 6510) course would equip me with the necessary experimental skills. Furthermore, the ability to take courses offered by other departments (With consent from the special committee) would allow me to enhance my knowledge in mathematics (In Differential Geometry, for example), which I firmly believe a physicist should continuously broaden knowledge in.

Furthermore, Cornell has a broad spectrum of research, from the scale of the quantum foam to that of the largest galaxies, in both theoretical and experimental sciences. The research groups that hold particular interest for me are the Theoretical and experimental elementary particle group, carrying out research into "New-Physics" as well as the unification of the standard model with gravity. What makes the particle group even mokre interesting is its membership with CMS and LHC. With interesting research going on non-stop, coupled with the cooperative nature among everyone in the department, would allow me to frequently discuss and exchange ideas with supervisors, seniors and colleagues alike.

My background in physics may raise a few eyebrows, Simply because it is highly unusual. I am engineering major and never took a college level physics course (Except courses on electromagnetism). My knowledge in other fields of physics solely comes from teaching myself using various media.

I learned a myriad of things in engineering school: Real-Time systems, Control Engineering, Signal Processing, Power Electronic Design, etc. Yet, such topics never appealed to me as much as my studies did in high school. As I finished my first semester of my second year, I browsed the library and picked up books on various topics, stumbling upon Serway, Moses and Meyer's "Modern Physics"

My interest on physics was in a "Full swing" after a few days. Before long, I finished learning a semester's worth of relativity and quantum mechanics. Summer gave me ample time and opportunity to explore different avenues in physics: Classical Mechanics, Statistical Physics, as well as different avenues of modern physics. Besides physics, I have taught myself the basics of certain branches of mathematics such as Group Theory and topology. My studies would often be carried late into the nights, which I enjoyed. The sheer effort put into covering a broad spectrum of material has enabled me to appear for the GRE Physics test, in which I scored a 790, being in the 71st percentile.

I tried my hand at Physics research during the summer at a separate university. One professor was kind enough to introduce me to a doctoral student of his. Through him, I was able to carry out some small research into Supersymmetry. Although I had conversations discussions regarding other fields of the so called "New-Physics" such as string theory and grand unified theory. Moreover, this phase was particularly important to me as it was an opportunity to explore the world of particle physics, something I had an interest in for a while. This, combined with my late nights, has consolidated the fact that I can quickly adapt to the heavy course load and new, yet difficult material I will encounter in graduate school.

Further research experiences include working on two microcontroller projects and submitting a research project titled "Forward Error Correction in Communications Systems" to a national-level engineering competition entitled "Innovate Malaysia". My project has been one of the few chosen amongst countless entries, which has allowed me access to expensive and advanced engineering software for which I will receive fully paid training.

Other than academia, I have participated in a number of extra-curricular activities. I have been the IT officer and the secretary of The Bangladesh Society at my university. Furthermore, I have been to different countries before and have met people from diverse backgrounds. These experiences are important for two reasons. Number one, it has significantly improved my communication skills; Number two, it has built up my adaptability to change.

All in all, despite the anomaly, I believe that through sheer willpower and tenacity, I can acclimate well to graduate school and hopefully prove to be a valuable asset and a student. After completing graduate studies, I hope to continue to work in theoretical physics, be it in huge labs or small groups while shouldering any additional responsibility and hardship; continuing to explore the quantum world using my mind.

Graduate / My reason for wanting to pursue graduate physics in graduate school is simple; SOP [6]

Please give your reasons for wishing to do graduate work in physics. Prepare your statement of objectives and goals in whatever form clearly presents your views. Include, as far as you can, your particular interests, be they experimental or theoretical, and show how your background supports these interests. Tell us about your research or other relevant experience outside the classroom. The Admissions Committee will welcome any factors you wish to bring to its attention concerning your academic and work experience to date.

My reason for wanting to pursue graduate physics in graduate school is simple: to understand and work with elementary particles. The idea of understanding the behaviour of particles with the human mind has been a fascinating prospect for me for quite a while.

My background in physics may raise a few eyebrows. Simply because it is highly unusual. I am an engineering major and never took a college level physics course (Except maybe courses on electromagnetism). My knowledge in physics solely comes from teaching myself using various media.

I learned a myriad of things in engineering school: Real-Time systems, Control Engineering, Signal Processing, Power Electronic Design, etc. Yet, such topics never appealed to me as much as my studies did in high school. As I finished my first semester of my second year, I browsed the library and picked up books on various topics, stumbling upon Serway, Moses and Meyer's "Modern Physics"

My interest on physics was in a "Full swing" after a few days. Before long, I finished learning a semester's worth of relativity and quantum mechanics. Summer gave me ample time and opportunity to explore different avenues in physics: Classical Mechanics, Statistical Physics, as well as different avenues of modern physics. Besides physics, I have taught myself certain branches of mathematics such as Group Theory and topology. My studies would often be carried late into the nights, which I enjoyed. The sheer effort put into covering a broad spectrum of material has enabled me to appear for the GRE Physics test.

I tried my hand at Physics research during the summer at a separate university. One professor was kind enough to introduce me to a doctoral student of his. Through him, I was able to carry out some small research into Supersymmetry. Although I had conversations discussions regarding other fields of the so called "New-Physics" such as string theory and grand unified theory. Moreover, this phase was particularly important to me as it was an opportunity to explore the world of particle physics, something I had an interest in for a while. This, combined with my late nights, has consolidated the fact that I can quickly adapt to the heavy course load and new, yet difficult material I will encounter in graduate school.

<A paragraph about the faculty>
Other than academia, I have participated in a number of extra-curricular activities. I have been the IT officer and the secretary of The Bangladesh Society at my university. Furthermore, I have been to different countries before and have met people from diverse backgrounds. These experiences are important for two reasons. Number one, it has significantly improved my communication skills; Number two, it has built up my adaptability to change.

All in all, despite the anomaly, I believe that through sheer willpower and tenacity, I can acclimate well to graduate school and hopefully prove to be a valuable asset and a student. After completing graduate studies, I hope to continue to work in theoretical physics, be it in huge labs or small groups while shouldering any additional responsibility and hardship; continuing to explore the quantum world using my mind.

Writing Feedback / TV Vs. Literature. GRE Analyze an Issue [2]

"Television and videos are going to leave a more lasting and valid perception of our society to future generations than is literature."

Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the previous
statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In
developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which
the statement may or may not hold true and explain how those considerations
shape your position.

Throughout history, humankind has written and recorded in various ways what
happened throughout time. However, as time passed on, our perception of what
was recorded changes due to many reasons. Some media are, however, more
capable of creating a solid perception than others.

It cannot be denied that TV and Videos, as well as written literature, both
have shaped our perceptions of what the past was, and what the present is.
Events and the way of life centuries ago have been recapitualted by great
writers and thinkers and immortalized in ink and paper, at a time when
television and digital media did not exist. Without literature, it would
have been very difficult to understand how life was during the times when
there was no electricity and none of the modern technology we beg. Without
literature, it may be difficult for the lay man to understand why social
traditions were the way they had been enacted in the past.

However, despite the fact that literature gives us an account of what the
past was like enables us to perceive past societies, the diurnal activities,
the superstitions, the practices etc. , Literautre can give us a jaundiced
perception of what the past was like. Whenever we read written accounts, our
exegesis of the account differs from person to person, because it is very
rare that two human beings think exactly alike. As such, how we perceive the
society of the past is very subjective. Given the caprice of human
imagination, that perceived image may vary from time to time, and thus
cannot be described as long lasting. And therefore, literauture may fail to
provide us with a lasting and valid perception of society. By extending this
argument into the future, it may very well be possible that whatever written
account writers and thinkers provide of the present society may be
interpreted in different ways by people in the future.

Television and video, on the other hand, are capable of displaying what
exactly what happens. As such, unlike writing, one does not require
imagination to understand and perceive what television and video describe
through a series of images. The risk of distortion is minimized because
videos and physical images, unlike our minds, are not capricious, but remain
constant. And hence can remain as a more valid account of what it recorded,
and therefore give us a truer account of the present in the future. Since
an intact and uadultereated description can be given by television and
videos, it can supersede literature in terms of creating a lasting and more
valid perception of the future.

Both literature and digital media have critical roles in the preservation of
annals of history. However, since literature requires us to excercise our
minds in order to glean clarity from written words and letters, our
perception changes. Whereas digital media practically displays what it
records, and our minds do not require straining, thus creating a more
lasting and vlide perception

Writing Feedback / Benefits of Micro-lending. GRE Analyze an argument, Feel free to comment [4]

The following is a common argument used to support increased globalization - expansion of economies beyond national borders.

"Microlending is the key to ending poverty. With microlending, investors make small loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries, so they can start a business and become self-sufficient. In return, the investor has the opportunity to profit from the interest. This helps the impoverished lift themselves out of poverty in a dignified way, instead of having to feel like beggars. To be successful, people need opportunities and the resources to pursue those opportunities. They want to work and are looking for a hand up, not a hand out. Microlending is the answer."

Write a response in which you examine the unstated assumptions of the previous argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on the assumptions and what the implications are if the assumptions prove unwarranted.

The author does make a somewhat cogent argument about the benefits of microlending. However, the author's conclusion is based on a number of flawed assumption and a lack of evidence concerning the success, or possible success of microlending.

First of all, the author assumes that everyone who takes micro-loans will be able to start up and run a successful business. The success in return will yield enough profits for entrepreneurs to pay back the loans. The author does not put forward any discussion or elaboration which guarantees the success of start ups. Or it may also be possible that a lot of developing countries may not have a conducive environemnt for start ups. If someone takes a micro-loan, causes and entrepreneurial fiasco and is unable to pay back loans, then neither the entrepreneur nor the investor will end up winning, and people may not rise out of indignation. The author can strengthen his argument by putting an elaboration which would maximise succuess, plus a few accounts which evince this assumption.

Secondly, the author assumes that there will be a lot of people who would take micro-loans, and initiate their own businesses. This would lead to more-loans, and more profits from interest. It may be possible that there may not be a lot of entrepreneurs, and in turn the number of loans taken may be few, which would yield less returns. If there is a dearth of entrepreneurs, then the authors plan for a successful mirco-lending system may not work. If the author can put forward evidence which indicates that there may be a lot of people looking forwards to start their own businesses, he/she may be able to strengthen the argument more.

And finally, since interest and profits are involved, there may be a discrepancy regarding interest rates. For example, investors may opt for higher interest rates, which would ostensibly yield higher profits. However, if interest rates are a bit too high, budding entrepreneurs may be reluctant to borrow money, and thus the author's idea may not work. If the author can provide a suitable range of interest rates that may work both in favor of investors and borrowers, the author's argument for micro-lending may be strengthened.

The author's argument suffers from a paucity of evidence and the holes in the argument. Microlending may be a good idea to pursue if the author is capable of filling the holes left behind, backed up with corroborating accounts

Writing Feedback / If you could meet a historical figure, who would it be? TOEFL essay [3]

As a person who aspires to be a physicist, I always pined to meet one of the most famous physicists in existence, Richard Feynman. A brilliant physicist, yet one who stands out among others due to his legendary personality and a plethora of various expreinces.

First of all, Feynman has an almost ubiquitous presence in Physics articles. And many famous Physicists have mentioned his named while discussing their own works or providing anecdotes from their own expereinces. In fact, Stanford Physicist Leonard Susskind once mentioned that "Feynman's period was a golden period in physics, everyone wanted to work with him". Given Feynman's status among his peers, I would also like to meet Feynman in person and be able to descry what made him so inspirational and likeable among his peers. Perhaps furing our meet, some of Feynman's inspiration may rub of on me.

Judging from Feynman's biography and what many people say about him, Feynman always seemed to be full of great ideas and had a simple yet elegant way of explaining recondite physics problems. In fact, before Feynman worked on Superfluid helium, other physicists before him, some of the nobel-prize winners, have been able to only produce an incomplete model for the behaviour of superfluid Helium. Feynman took only a pencil and a sheet of paper and wrote the behaviour of helium, and soon was able to extract a complete model for something that has eluded Physicists for so long. During our meet, I'd would want to understand how Feynman thinks about physics problems, what goes on in his head when he considers so many parameters, how the proverbial light bulb starts to shine in his mind, so that I may be able to reproduce his way of thinking one day.

Another thing Feynman had was eclectic interests, and a wide range of experiences. Being passionate about drums, Feynman once took a year off to travel to Brazil and play the bongos properly. Feynman was one of the youngest members of the manhattan project and would cantankerously annoy the security guards. Upon our meet, I would like to enquire about his medley of experiences and what he thinks of them in retrospect. Being a person of ecelctic interests myself, I would like to know how Feynman balances everything is his Life.

Feynman is everything I aspire to be. I beleive that in order to even measure up to him, I must learn a great many things from him. And hence, Richard Feynman is my person of choice

Writing Feedback / GRE Analyze an argument. Restoration of local news and weather forecast time [4]

The following is a memorandum from the business manager of a television station.

"Over the past year, our late-night news program has devoted increased time to national news and less time to weather and local news. During this period, most of the complaints received from viewers were concerned with our station's coverage of weather and local news. In addition, local businesses that used to advertise during our late-night news program have canceled their advertising contracts with us. Therefore, in order to attract more viewers to our news programs and to avoid losing any further advertising revenues, we should expand our coverage of weather and local news on all our news programs."

Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted.

The author's recommendation for an increase in the time devoted in the coverage of local and weather news cannot be adopted due to the dearth of details presented in the argument.

First, the author argues that the station has received a number of complaints regarding the coverage of local news and weather forcast. But the author has not mentioned what kind of complaints are being made. It may be possible that the complaints are not eventuated by the reduced time dedicated for such broadcasts, but rather the animadversions may be arising form the quality of news being broadcasted. For example, the stations's weather forecast are not accurate. Or maybe that the station is probably not covering important local news, or maybe the anchors not disinterested, conveying strong opinions, during news time. If this is the case, then simply restoring the local news and weather forecast timings will not solve the problem. The author can strengthen his argument by citing specific complaints in his argument.

Secondly, the author asserts that the reason for businesses rescinding contracts is arising from the reduced broadcast time. Just because two events coincide does not necessarily mean that they are linked to one another. There could be a plethora of other reasons why businesses may recant their commitments. Local businesses may have terminated contracts because they may have been offered better and more lucrative contracts elsewhere. Or it may also be possible that such businesses may be in financial straits, and hence cannot continue to pay for advertising costs. If the author can elicit a reason from business owners which corroborates his point, then can the author make a more congenial case.

Given the lack of specifics, the author has not been able to make a strong case in favor of the restoration of weather and local news to the original level, and therefore his recommendation cannot be considered as it is now.