Graduate /
Strong foundation made early in life; SOP for MS admission in structural fields [3]
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
I attribute most of my success as an adult to the strong foundation made early in life by a warm and loving school life which guided direction, enforced discipline, inspired excellence, and value systems that were ethical and humane besides instilling in me a good sense of judgment. For me, it was a pleasure to seek and learn. Subsequently, the several awards and appreciations that I won further strengthened my confidence in my abilities. I developed a social, moral and intellectual base that enhanced my capacity to succeed in a competitive and dynamic society.
I am fortunate to have been brought up in a family where all members are erudite in their respective fields of study and are staunch believers of intellectual excellence. My grooming has, thus, made me inclined towards a knowledge-based career. My dad is a devoted and recognized government executive engineer. My love for Structural engineering stems from the practical work that I saw him doing. My childhood instilled in me a fascination towards buildings like the Chandan Dam, that I witnessed first-hand being built. Very soon, I begun to understand its importance in construction and decided on acquiring a doctor in philosophy (PhD) degree to push the boundaries of human knowledge.
My compelling motive of pursuing a doctorate is to learn, serve and grow, in the academic circles. Respect among the intellectual community, inspiring students and seeing students grow is most satisfying for me. The spark of teaching was first ignited in me as I joined Prof. A.J. Shah as a teaching assistant. Under his guidance, I presented seminars on "Tensegrity Structures" and "Gantry Girder Design".
Academically, Civil Engineering was a challenging and demanding major, however, my interest to seek involvement in it was a strong one. It is my nature to accomplish and excel. To this effect, quintessence in the many subjects reinforced my inspiration. I led from the front in the Civil Engineering department of NIT SURAT in continuity, realizing the true potential of Civil Engineering, and gaining immeasurably from it.
Since my first year of graduate study, subjects related to Design of Steel structure and concrete structure and structural analysis appealed me the most. My hold on Solid mechanics accelerated my interest in Structure engineering and when I studied structure analysis for the first time, I found that it would serve as an excellent platform for me to move deeper. I consider it, the nervous system of civil engineering because it encompasses Structural engineering analysis, has a complex design, plans, and researches structural components for stability, safety and economic comforts. I appreciated Structural Analysis, which dealt with the analysis of a structure depending on various factors like those that beam column orientation and materials used. The other studies of structure also attracted me as I could clearly relate to them in the lab. The element of mathematics interwoven into them appealed to me.
The vastness of Geotechnical engineering, Hydraulic and hydraulic machines, Water resource engineering I and II and the thoroughness with which its various laws are applicable on construction enriched me. The interesting theoretical complexities of Monitoring of execution of construction of sump houses made to divert storm water drainage during flood periods of monsoon and study of drainage patterns during the 2-month long internship May-July 2010, at National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC), Patna put my studied principles to test and piqued my interest. Subsequently, I had the opportunity as a paid intern at WS Akins (India) Pvt. Ltd for 2 months from 16 May-17 July '10, to work as a consultant with Atkins Winchester and Clancy Docwra (surveyor/contractor) to provide developer services using the tools Citrix & E-Flow. Participating in the experiential set up, I was fascinated by the precise methodology that the work demanded and experienced the joy of creative satisfaction.
My next tryst was the six-month Jul'11-Dec'11 long seminar at Tensegrity Structures under Prof. Mayank Desai wherein I enjoyed analyzing class 1:C2T4 model to establish mass efficiency vs. geometry curve against convectional structures. Thereafter, my major project on the Effects of Mutual Proportioning of Aggregates in Mix Design and Comparison of IS: 102062-2009 And ACI: 211 Mix Design Methods, (Jul'11-May'12) was conducted under the guidance of Prof. S.N. Desai and Prof. R.T. Patel. I prepared two types concrete cube sample sets based on IS: 102062 and other on ACI: 211 with two different types of mutual proportioning of aggregates. In addition, I tested them constantly at 7 days, 14 days and 28 days intervals to check for strength and compared the results. This project enlightened me on the clauses of IS: 102062 and ACI: 211 and provided me the knowledge of various grades of concrete used, workmanship, management of resources and labor, estimation and costing of material, machinery and tools. The variety of building material and construction made me appreciative of its innate nuances with the hands-on testing in the laboratory and prepared me to meet the rigorous and interesting challenges of civil industry.
My activity bag has been a judicious mix of academic and the extra-curricular. I have enjoyed participating in night cricket tournaments for four consecutive years besides winning the 3rd prize in national level Tech-Fest MINDBEND '11. Additionally, acting on behalf of my mates as a Joint secretary and a Class Representative has taught me to be systematic, empathetic towards others' concerns and work for common interests.
Optimum utilization of resources and coordination between cross-functional departments are the virtues that I learnt at my workplace, NMDC Iron & Steel Plant, Nagarnar where as a Project Management Consultant, I lent my engineering expertise to the Greenfield project for four months This experience gave me real-world experience as I performed concrete test, investigated aggregates; graded cement used, and tested soil. Under my supervision, nearly 5000 m3 concreting was carried out. After the long hours spent in thinking up original solutions to unique problems, I was finally able to come up with suitable solutions. Next, Kumarswamy iron ore project lasted for two months and herein, I acted as a consultant to Primary Crusher House's ancillary buildings like steel yard, and maintenance building. The hands-on experience in construction departments like planning, quality testing and control, safety of raw material, made me cognizant of the practical difficulties faced in the execution of a plan. I learnt to modify and make plans that are more implementable. These experiences have taught me the importance of team building, time management, quality assurance and process orientation.
Leaving a high paid and secure job, will only add to me sincerity, perseverance and focus to objective of "learn, serve and grow". My education and experience, added to the research opportunity for a lifetime propels me towards MS and PhD in structural engineering. I comprehend that it is the seminal component of civil engineering, contributing and strengthening its pace. It encompasses within its fold, space to improve and learn new skills. The inclusion of innovative methods and techniques attracts me to it. At present, there are gaps in my understanding, which I wish to fulfill before being fully circumspect of my contributions. In the long term, after Master's I would like to put my engineering skills to good use for my country by building dams, shaping historical buildings, and maintaining rail bridges etc. The subjects that interest me greatly are Earthquake engineering, disaster management, design of industrial structures and design of bridge structures, which were my electives in the baccalaureate.
My erudition and education is my strength, which I wish to hone by studying under _________ University's intellectually rich faculty. This would allow me to grasp new perspectives, expose me to diverse upcoming technologies, simultaneously broadening my thinking ability. I aspire to work with ______, _________ and ___________, and be an integral part of the University's rich student body. I believe that would sharpen my holistic skills. Pursuing a career in Structural Engineering is my dream. I know I cannot succeed on talent or ability alone. I wish to succeed with the correct education and stand poised for a higher leap.
PRAVEEN KUMAR