Firstly, I would look to get a job at a renowned chemical company such as DuPont

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

My chemical engineering degree at USC will not only help in kick starting a successful career but also allow me to actually make a positive difference to society. Firstly, I would look to get a job at a renowned chemical company such as DuPont. DuPont is one of those companies that looks towards the future and addresses ever-growing global issues that threaten the existence of humanity. I want to be a part of such a company to get the opportunity to help tackle global crisis's like lack of food security, depletion of fossil fuels, inefficient sustainable energy sources and countless others.

As a child, I always wanted to save the world. Curing cancer, stopping global warming and ending poverty were some of my many noble yet very farfetched aspirations. However, as I grew older, I began to realize that one person cannot save the world. It's a team effort and all of us must play our small, albeit significant parts in it, similar to that of a brick in a wall. I may not save the world on my own but I want to use my engineering degree to become that brick.

While this essay gives the traditional answer to the question, I believe that such an essay can also be answered in an out of the box manner. With a degree in Engineering, you will have the ability to effect positive changes in the world. So why not discuss how you might do that? Maybe present an idea for a new type of technology that will allow people to accomplish things that have not been accomplished yet. Think of the future of the world as you see it in your mind. What kind of social altering invention might you bring to reality in the future? Remember, the Ipad was only a dream for Steve Jobs till he worked on making it an Engineering reality. So think along those lines. Make your idea stand out and show the admissions officer the kind of innovative thinking that the future of society will benefit from once you graduate :-)

I think it would be effective to change your approach. Ditch the part where you talk about your career goals with DuPont completely. Start it off immediately with your discussion about saving the world. Address the limitations, but somehow, talk about how much you can contribute with engineering. Talk about how you want to address food shortages here.

Changed it completely.

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 until 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.