Developing new kinds of materials is a significant part of a chemical engineers job

How do you plan to use your engineering degree to benefit society?

As a person who has lived a significant part of his life in Pakistan, I know the difficulties and hardship a nation faces when coping with natural disasters. The 2005 earthquakes along with the 2010 floods were arguably the most traumatic moments the people of Pakistan have faced in recent times. Every time I reflect on those times of chaos, I realize that it's our job to make an effort and ensure that chaos of this magnitude never transpires again.

Developing new kinds of materials that are not only efficient but also cost-effective is a significant part of a chemical engineers job. And that is what I plan to do. I plan to take part in extensive research work to develop materials to build dams and flood barriers that are not only cheaper but also more durable. In addition, they have to be practical enough to use in underdeveloped countries that are prone to flooding and heavy rain. Although the possibility of developing such a material is questionable at best, it's not impossible unless we try. After all, graphene was first produced only 12 years ago and now people believe that it is on the verge of revolutionizing technology. Who's to say the same can't happen again?

My ideas might seem like one that would take years or maybe even decades to come to fruition. But I am up for the challenge and my engineering degree at USC would perfectly prepare me to take on that challenge.

Your essay is quite effective in the way that it answers the prompt. You have provided us with a clear idea as to how you plan to fully utilize the theoretical knowledge that you will gain from college and translate it into everyday use as an engineer. You made mention of graphene as a revolutionary material that people are unknowingly, and slowly coming to rely upon for various uses. An idea struck me as I read that part. Why don't you try to think out of the box and present is with a revolutionary idea, a method by which ordinary people can use the material that has not been thought of yet? That will be a direct supporting claim towards your statement that your ideas may seem revolutionary or even radical at the moment. By presenting a unique idea, you will have established the kind of mindset that sets the cutting edge engineers apart from the rest of the pack.