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Restoration ecology: UMN trasfer (educational interests and goals)


tianlaiqi 1 / 2  
May 31, 2011   #1
In English, describe your educational interests and goals and what your plans are for when you return to your home country. Please include an explanation of why you would like to study the major you have selected.

Additionally, if there were any interruptions in your education since completing high school, you must tell us all activities that you have been involved in since then (e.g., employment, professional activities, volunteer activities, etc.) You must write this statement yourself without help from others. (Maximum 4,000 characters)


I am specifically interested in restoration ecology. This was inspired by my intern in Tianzhu Grassland Station. It's on alpine grassland-high latitude, low temperature and short growing period. Our missions were making herbarium and investigating grassland there. At the beginning, I was attracted by the outdoor activities and beautiful followers on the grassland. But after discussing with my teacher I understood that the more followers I can see on the grassland the worse grassland quality it was. Many of the follower plants were invasive plants, bad quality for feeding, even were toxic for animals. They were signals for grassland degradation or damaged. Once they settled, the situation would be worse over time unless they could be replaced by local plants. Based on the extreme climate, the grassland is hard to recover by itself. After the internship, I set up a career goal - become a specialist of restoration and help it recover, finally keep it in good condition.

After graduation, I came to U.S. with my husband. I took some ESL classes to improve my English. Now my English is ready, I would like to go back to school study restoration ecology and natural resources management.

If I could be granted the admission, I will choose horticulture as my major, emphasis on restoration ecology, focus on learning restoration principles and answer some questions in my mind, like how can we identify a successful restoration; how long we should keep monitor the restoration field; should we do something special facing climate change? Meanwhile I will also enhance my ability though internship, research assistance even developing my own research projects if possible. Minor in nature resources management is part of my plan too. Because helping grassland recovered is only the first step; my final goal is to keep grassland on ecological balance.

Studying in graduate school is also on my schedule, it's an essential part of growing to be a researcher. Then I would like to go back to China, find a job in university in the Northwest. I will propagate protect nature resources on grassland, research on how to adjust restoration principles for local environment and study how climate change will affect on grassland communities.

Is that too simple?

Thank you for your reading. I will appreciate any of your commemts.
lowryder49 7 / 31  
May 31, 2011   #2
I am specifically interested in restoration ecology. This was inspired by my intern in Tianzhu Grassland Station. It's on alpine grassland-high latitude, low temperature and short growing period. Our missions was were making herbarium and investigating grassland there. At the beginning, I was attracted by the outdoor activities and beautiful followers on the grassland. But after discussing with our teacher (why do you say our teacher who do you mean yours and who else'?)I understood that the more followers I can see on the grassland the poorer the situation was I Don't really understand what do you mean by this , bad quality for feeding, even are toxic for animals. When the grassland was damaged they have opportunity to settle. Once they settled, the situation will be worse over time unless they can be replaced by local plants. Based on the extreme climate, it's hard to recover by itself. I felt I need to do something; I hope I can do restoration there.

If I can have admission, use passive If I could be granted the admission , I will choose restoration ecology as my major, focus on learning restoration technology and answer some questions in my mind, like how can we identify a successful restoration; how long we should keep monitor the restoration field; should we do something special facing climate change. I will also choose some nature resources management courses. Helping grassland recovered is the first step; my final goal is to keep grassland balance. When I go back, I want to propagate protect nature resources on grassland, study how climate change affect there, and finally develop some management for local community.

After graduate from school, I arrived at Twin Cities with my husband. I spent some time on ESL classes. At the end of last year I took TOFEL test. Now I am sure my English level is ready for undergraduate study.

To answer you question, Yes it is, and It's not well-organized, yet you have a good idea of what you want so I know you could improve it.

Good luck
EF_Kevin 8 / 13,321 129  
Jun 2, 2011   #3
why do you say our teacher who do you mean yours and who else'?

Yes, good point!
Maybe it should be like this:
...after a discussion with my teacher...

Use a question mark: how long we should keep monitor the restoration field; should we do something special facing climate change?

:-)

Now I am sure my English level is ready for undergraduate study.

I think you definitely are ready!!

Here is one more small error:
After graduate from school, I arrived at Twin Cities with my husband.
Do this:
After graduating from school, I arrived at Twin Cities with my husband.
OP tianlaiqi 1 / 2  
Jun 2, 2011   #4
lowryder49
Thank you for your help.
How long I should write?(actually, I don't know what should be added to this passage.)
What do you mean by " not well-organized", how can I improve it?

kevin
Thanks. But don't you think my passage is too short?

I am eager to improve my writing skills, can anyone recommend some books or other methods?
EF_Kevin 8 / 13,321 129  
Jun 5, 2011   #5
books or other methods?

Strunk and White wrote the greatest book. The Elements of Style

Your English is so impressive. It is nearly perfect. Everyone has a few small errors... so it's no big deal.

This may be too short. You should make it the correct length according to their submission guidelines. If they gave no guidelines, make a personal statement of about 500 words.

To make this more powerful, meditate on your vision of the future, and ask, "What is my plan all about?"
You will think of a powerful sentence that really tells something important about your deepest aspirations, the aspirations that make you different from others.

So... find that powerful sentence, write it, and add it somewhere in the essay.
:-)
OP tianlaiqi 1 / 2  
Jun 12, 2011   #6
I reorganized the essay and changed parts. I feel it better.
What do you think? Can anyone give some suggestions?
EF_Kevin 8 / 13,321 129  
Jun 14, 2011   #7
I am specifically interested in restoration ecology.

I think you should add some words to the end of this sentence to make it interesting and meaningful. What is your DEEPEST insight about restoration ecol.? Make this first sentence powerful, like a punch in the face.

I want to correct this, too:
If I could am granted the admission, I will choose horticulture as my major with emphasis on restoration ecology. I will focus on learning restoration principles and answer some questions in my mind, like, "How can we identify a successful restoration, and how long should we keep monitoring the restoration field? Should we do something special facing climate change?"

:-)


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