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.
