Graduation in SOP for Rice University - SOP Letter

After carefully considering my aptitude, interests, the nature of my training and my ultimate professional ambition, I have decided to pursue Ph. D. in electrical engineering specializing in the fields of my interest namely- Communications, Signal Processing and Information Theory and Coding, ultimately leading to a career in teaching and research. As a statement of purpose of my graduate study, I describe here my academic background, my research interests and my career goals.

The undergraduate programme at **** is a well-rounded programme. It not only helped me build a solid foundation of Electrical Engineering fundamentals, but also helped me develop an overall perspective of the vast field of Electrical Engineering. In the final year I developed a keen interest in the areas of Communications and Signal Processing. I substantiated my knowledge of these areas by choosing electives on Digital Communications, Communication System Theory (Random Processes in Communications), Digital Signal Processing and Information Theory and Coding. In the Master of Technology Programme, I specialized in Communications. Taking advantage of a fully flexible course structure, I have chosen electives on Statistical Signal Analysis, Applied Linear Algebra in Electrical Engineering, Theory of Error Correcting Codes, Image Processing and Adaptive Signal Processing. Apart from these, I have taken courses on two special topics in Electrical Engineering namely- Computational Vision and Artificial Neural Networks.

I have striven to perform well in the courses and have tried to gain as much as I could from them. But I feel that the real qualification of a good graduate student is his ability to perform independent research work under the guidance of an advisor. My B.Tech. (Final year) project under Prof. Yyy gave me such an opportunity. In my B. Tech. Project I studied convergence issues in Non-Symmetrical and Higher order Neural Networks. First part of the project has been submitted to IEEE Trans. Neural Networks as a brief paper. It has been accepted after review.

In my M.Tech Programme, I did a mini project on determination of rotation parameters of a lamina from its binary images using moment- invariants of the images. I did an intensive seminar (a survey of literature) on Simulated Annealing Algorithm for Optimization.

My M.Tech. Thesis deals with Information across Boolean Functions. It involves establishing relationship between complexity measures of Boolean Functions and an attempt to study the nature of optimal circuit through restrictions of a Boolean function.

The project work and the course work have further interested me in Communication and Signal Processing and have motivated me to learn more of these areas. Also, the ideas involved in finding fundamental limits on capabilities of information extraction and transmission and the attempts at achieving the limits – which form the core of information theory – have interested me very much. I realize that techniques and the tools used there overlap. Therefore I have taken liberty to quote these broad areas as Research interests. Specifically the areas of my interest are Source Coding/ Data Compression, Information Theory and Coding, Statistical Signal Processing, Digital Communication, Multi-user Communication, optimal filtering and detection and estimation.

I am also interested in the application of Neural Networks to these areas.

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UCSB is a well-known center of excellence. The department faculty consists of leading researchers engaged in frontline research. The research interests of the faculty are extremely compatible with those of mine, a fact underlined by the fact that some of the faculty members are pioneering people in their fields. In particular, I would like to work with the faculty involved with the Center for Information Processing and Research. I shall be glad to be a part of the group and witness and contribute my bit to the leading research being carried out at UCSB.

An opportunity to work in the stimulating environment at UCSB will certainly make the graduate study a rewarding exercise and a satisfying experience. In terms of research facilities also, a university like UCSB has more to offer to a graduate student. I, therefore, look forward to joining UCSB as a graduate student.

As professional goal, I would like to take up a career in research and teaching. From the residential system of ****, I have been able to have a glimpse of the academic life and the sacrifices it involves. I feel that it is this kind of life that I am best suited for. I feel that I have enough motivation to see me through the challenges of the arduous but exhilarating career in research.

I thank Prof. Yyy and Prof. yyy for their advice and valuable information.