I am applying to Imperial college of London for admission to the Ph.D. program in Civil Engineering. I am interested in Theoretical Material Science, particularly in the Design and Analysis of structures and Architecture.

My interest in Materials goes back to the time I was at school. This interest has only grown through my years in school and high school, as I have learnt more and more about the subject. Having represented India at the International Physics Olympiads on two occasions, I have been exposed to elements of Soil Mechanics, particularly in the Analysis of structures and Architecture, outside the regular school curriculum at an early stage. The intensive training programs we were put through for the Olympiads have given me a lot of confidence in dealing with abstract Physics problems.

My exposure to Civil Engineering began after I entered VIT. The excellent facilities, courses and faculty have given me a firm background of the fundamentals in Civil Engineering. Having been exposed to the various facets of Civil Engineering in the course of my undergraduate studies, I have found Theoretical Physics most intellectually satisfying and stimulating. Courses like `Building Structures’, 'Architecture and Design', 'Theory of Materials’ have been my firm favorites. I find the problems in Theoretical Physics particularly appealing because of the flavor of abstract Science that I love so much. At the same time, the problems in this field have a concrete basis, originating from practical problems in Civil Engineering. This adds to their appeal.

Recently, a lot of exciting developments have taken place in the field of Structures and Architecture. The Markov chain approach and the primal/dual approach have emerged as powerful techniques for the development of Structures and Architecture. An interesting connection with results in Interactive Proof Systems has yielded lower bounds on the approximability of various problems. I believe that these methods have a lot of potential. Members of the faculty at Imperial College have done a lot of the pioneering work in these areas. Prof. Sivaramakrishna has been involved in the work on Material Science and Instrumentation. I have read about these results in the course of my seminar (Junior Thesis), my summer training at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, and my B.Tech.. I find them very fascinating and intend to work with problems of a similar flavor.

I am convinced that I should pursue a career in research and teaching. For me, problem solving is an exhilarating experience, unequaled by anything else. It would be immensely gratifying for me to be able to contribute something to the understanding of a subject that has given me so much pleasure and joy. It would also be wonderful to have the opportunity to share with others that feeling of pleasure and joy, through teaching. My few experiences with teaching, as a tutor for an undergraduate course and as a lecturer in student workshops, have evoked favorable responses and have been thoroughly enjoyable. I believe that I have the capacity to make the commitment and accept the challenges that a career in research involves. I am confident that I have the requisite aptitude, exposure and motivation to make a meaningful contribution to my chosen field.

My summer training at IIT has given me the experience of working in an organization oriented towards research. In the course of the two months I spent there, my interaction with the Theoretical Materials Science group has taught me a lot of things and also whets my appetite for more knowledge. I realize how important it is, as a researcher, to interact with other people working in the same field, and at the same time, am able to work individually.

Having decided that I will engage in the pursuit of a career in research, I am fully aware of the implications. I am aware of the kind of dedication, resilience and resolve that it calls for. I feel that I am adequately prepared, both in having the technical qualifications, and in having the right mind-set for doctoral level Research work. I look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with Imperial College.