The following statement of purpose is written by an applicant who got accepted to top graduate programs in environmental and sustainability engineering. Variations of this SOP got accepted at UIUC, ASU, and RIT. Read this essay to get inspiration and understand what a top engineering school SOP should look like.
You might also be interested in reading this Sample Personal Statement in environment and sustainability that got admitted to Stanford, and CALTECH.
Sample Statement of Purpose Environment and Sustainability
Throughout my bachelor’s program, I have been involved in several projects that have made use of complex engineering design & manufacturing processes. Towards future study and research, I would like to empower and build myself by formulating a way in which our industries can adopt construction materials that are cost-effective and efficient. Therefore, I want to pursue a Master’s degree in Sustainable Engineering focusing on material and mechanics.
Although I have a diverse background in civil engineering, I strongly feel that my coursework is insufficient to answer the latest design problems in construction. During my undergrad thesis, I could not use the requisite materials and equipment due to a lack of resources at our laboratories.
For example, The Universal Testing Machine in our lab was manual with an analog dial. Due to its size and capacity constraints, it could not perform the tests on longer or higher strength columns. Also, it was not compatible with digital strain gauges.
Such limitations inhibited the scope of my otherwise groundbreaking thesis. This is because, through this thesis, I could show that we can achieve the same strength by only covering the top of the column with carbon fibers instead of ongoing practices of fully wrapping it. Although the scope of my thesis was limited, my experience says that using eco-friendly materials is efficient in providing greater strength and reducing the cost of construction. I, therefore, want to study and test these materials and build upon my thesis via a Master’s degree in Sustainable Engineering.
For my Master’s degree, I am looking for programs focusing on materials and mechanics used in construction. Since my final year project focused on increasing the life of older structures by using FRPs, I am particularly interested in a program where I can learn more about the latest materials being developed to meet construction challenges in the USA. Ideally, I want to study materials using a simulation-based approach and industrial research practicum.
By pursuing industrial research, I want to expand my thesis by looking at its findings from different perspectives. For example, I want to research eccentrically loaded columns, which are more similar in dimensions to the ones used in the field. I also want to test other materials, such as glass fiber-reinforced polymers, and their feasibility in getting the required strength. Through these research initiatives, I aim to propose cost-effective ways of strengthening old structures to their full power – using such techniques can save a lot of infrastructure development costs.
After completing my Master’s degree, I intend to play an active role as an analyst consultant. I plan to Jacobs Solutions again. With the skill set, I will learn, I will contribute my efforts to making the infrastructure more sustainable and resilient. Jacobs is not only getting new projects but also revamping the country’s old infrastructure. Even at this point, if we start making our infrastructures more sustainable, we will be on the right track for a greener future. Currently, Jacobs is hiring consultants from abroad because there is a shortage of civil engineers who understand the latest practices.
Therefore, they are employed at a very high cost, which increases the indirect cost of construction. I am confident that after my Master’s degree, I can provide the necessary expertise, which will vastly reduce the design cost. Secondly, I feel that as a native engineer, I understand the local environment better, and I will be able to design structures that suit local needs. I also want to continue the work I did as president of ASHRAE at a much larger scale and use platforms such as the Green Building Council, Institute of Civil Engineers, or HVACR Society to spread awareness and build liaisons between industry and research.
In the long run, I want to lead multiple construction projects that meet societal needs for well-designed and well-operated buildings, energy, transportation, and water systems. I firmly believe that using the latest materials can reduce costs and are much more efficient as they ease the pressure on scarce resources leading to economic prosperity. In this way, I can play a small role in the future economic growth of our world.