scholarship APPLICATION ESSAY
Instructions:
· Reference to issues in your country and/or worldwide;
· Clear description of own qualifications and experience;
· Specific reference to the study programme and objectives;
· Coherence of own intended career with the study programme
(Preferably the motivation letter should have a maximum of 1000 words).
I am XX and I wish to apply for the XX. It is my desire to have a deeper understanding of the groundwater system, how it can be sustainably harnessed and how it is affected by climate and global change; and ultimately to help Philippines to protect its most natural resource - groundwater.
In my first work as a hydrogeologist for a pipe water service provider company, I realized the importance of water resources, specifically of groundwater, and its real alarming condition. Through the projects I have handled, I was exposed about the problems our country is facing with regards to groundwater usage, and how climate change and anthropogenic causes are big factors on these issues (i.e., land subsidence occurring in the central portion of Luzon due to over-extraction of groundwater which also results to the greater flood risk at the area; and salt water intrusion to the groundwater near the coast due to climate change bringing higher temperature and low precipitation).
Philippines is a developing country with high population growth rate of 1.5% (The World Bank, 2018) thus, demand for clean water also increases. As per the Philippine Environment Monitor, 2013, 50% of the population source their drinking water from groundwater and about 58% of groundwater sampled in one study is contaminated with coliform causing water-borne diseases. This breaks my heart since I really believe that access to clean water is a necessity for everyone considering that it is one of our basic needs to live.
However, studies and research regarding hydrogeology in the Philippines are very limited even with the severity of these issues. Nevertheless, I believe that it is not too late for these issues to be studied to properly communicate and initiate the best fitting innovative solutions. Thus, this inspires me to pursue my graduate studies and to apply for the XX Master Programme.
I am currently working at XXX as Environmental Hydrogeologist and Project Manager. I graduated from XX with a bachelor's degree in Geology.
During my undergraduate studies, I was involved in different extracurricular activities since I believe that there are many lessons which cannot be learned in a classroom. Even with the hectic university life, I managed to join a geochemistry and geophysics laboratory (XX) where I gained experience with various works such as sample preparations and analysis, and operating geophysical equipment. It also had projects involved finding groundwater sources for coastal areas using georesistivity which were my first few exposures to hydrogeology. From there, I realized that groundwater is an abundant resource in our country however with the inadequate policies we have for its extraction, groundwater depletion issues arise. It was my intention to pursue graduate studies with specialization in hydrogeology in UP however, the faculty does not have expertise in this field.
My professional background also includes understanding the relationship of aquifer systems to provide locations for sustainable yield of groundwater extraction, stochastic forecasting of surface water, and water quality monitoring for a private water provider company; and environmental site assessments focusing on soil and groundwater contaminations for clients in the oil and industry field. The career path I took was not easy since my undergraduate studies did not have any hydrogeology subjects thus pushing me to exert more effort studying hydrogeoloy books and journals. All my efforts were not in vain since I managed to convince XX to establish their own hydrogeology team by showing the company the value of a hydrogeologist to their business with my works. Then, I landed my current job in an international consultancy company (XX) as a field engineer. I did not stop studying and searching deeper knowledge of hydrogeology thus, I was so passionate with my work being recognized by the management and clients for my good technical skills. With my dedication, in about a year and a half, the company already trusted me to handle complicated projects involving hydrocarbon leaks in petroleum sites with work scope of soil and groundwater assessment, studying the relationship of the spilled petroleum products to the aquifer systems, and to finally examine the results if site remediation is needed. Although I have learned so much from my professional experiences, I still believe that there are still so much to learn, such as strategic environmental policies to protect our water resources, to pursue my goals, and I am just always craving for knowledge.
If I will be fortunate to be given this opportunity and finish the programme, I want to continue my career in a Philippine government agency working on management of groundwater and its sustainability, with focus on the emerging groundwater issues caused by climate and global change. I would also like work with private consultancies to further increase my knowledge regarding new technologies for alternative water source and better groundwater quality. Furthermore, if the opportunity arises, I would like to purse PhD and go back to academic setting to share my knowledge to the next generations.
As a summary, I believe that my academic background, professional work experience, and skills make me a good candidate for this programme. Moreover, my future career goals will be supported with the knowledge I can gain through this experience. I am really looking forward receiving a favourable response from you.