<p>Hello everyone! I would strongly appreciate any last minute comments or corrections on my SOP for the M.S. in Chemical Engineering Practice at MIT. The deadline is tomorrow, so I’ll have to work fast, but hopefully most issues will be with grammar/spelling :)</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for your help!</p>
<p>Ah, one comment: since the program substitutes the master thesis for something called the “Practice School” (basically a 2-month internship), I did not write about the research I did at my university (which was nothing to set the world on fire, anyways). Do you think this is the right thing to do?</p>
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<p>Please give your reasons for wishing to do graduate work in the field you have chosen. Prepare your statement of objectives and goals in whatever form clearly presents your views. Include as far as you can, your particular interests, be they experimental, theoretical, or issue-oriented, and show how your background and MIT’s programs support these interests. The statement could be much like a proposal for graduate studies, in the more specific context of your professional objectives. You should set forth the issues and problems you wish to address. Explain your longer-term professional goals. The Admissions Committee will welcome any factors you wish to bring to its attention concerning your academic and work experience to date.</p>
<p>The instructor indicated that we had to hand in our information sheets and start with the university admission test. Most fields were quite straightforward e.g. name, address, high school but one in particular remained blank and elusive. I had pondered this for months and, at least until that moment, I thought I had already made up my mind, but that instant felt as if I was just considering that decision for the first time.</p>
<p>Certainly, during high school I was very much interested in chemistry. I fostered this curiosity mainly through my involvement in Chemistry Olympiads at the national and international level. For instance, I participated in the 35th and 36th International Chemistry Olympiads, held in 2003 in Greece and in 2004 in Germany respectively, and earned a bronze medal in each of these events. But despite my great interest in chemistry and my competent handling of its theoretical and experimental aspects, I remained intrigued by the application of scientific principles to more tangible problems. Furthermore, I was fascinated by the ample career prospects that chemical engineering offers and by the role of engineers in society, particularly in Venezuela, where the oil industry pervades all facets of our social and economic development.</p>
<p>I completed the blank space declaring chemical engineering as my intended major at XXXXXXXX in Caracas, Venezuela; where I started my undergraduate studies on September 2004. In June 2010, I graduated cum laude. I ranked first out of 15 chemical engineers in my class and overall second out of 151 graduates.</p>
<p>The start, however, was not exactly smooth. Most proper chemical engineering subjects could not be taken until the third year, and I even considered switching my major to chemistry. But as I finally began taking the core chemical engineering subjects thermodynamics, transport phenomena and particularly chemical reactors I became enthralled by the technical challenges offered by the field and by the integration of tools from different areas required to solve a problem. By joining the M.S. in Chemical Engineering Practice program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology I intend to deepen my understanding of advanced issues and tools in chemical engineering, and to strengthen my creativity and problem-solving skills, particularly in a professional setting such as that of the Practice School, in order to become a complete and modern engineer.</p>
<p>Towards the end of my studies I participated in a one-year student exchange program between XXXXXXX and the University of XXXXX in Germany. This university, which is now known as the XXXXXX, is one of Germanys premier institutions of science and engineering. Furthermore, I was awarded a scholarship by [COMPANY] in Venezuela to support my studies in Germany.</p>
<p>The reasons for which I took part in the student exchange program were two-fold: on one hand, I wanted to strengthen my preparation as an engineer and gain an insight into novel areas of chemical engineering. For instance, during that year I seized the opportunity of taking a course on bioprocess engineering and, during my thesis at [COMPANY 2] in [CITY], I dealt with the application of membrane technology to the processing of fine chemicals. As both fields are relatively undeveloped in my home university, this reflected my ambition to go beyond and reach out for new knowledge and experiences. On the other hand, I relished the opportunity of becoming immersed in a culture very different from my own and experiencing a multicultural academic environment. I firmly believe that developing an international conscience is not only important professionally but fundamental if one wants to make a positive impact on a global scale.</p>
<p>These same motivations also fuel my profound interest in the M.S. CEP program at MIT. I see the programs malleable coursework, the participation in the Practice School and the contact with faculty at MIT as outstanding opportunities to address my wide-ranging curiosity and to become familiar with state-of-the-art issues in chemical engineering. Likewise, I believe I have a lot to gain from MITs international environment, particularly in the professional context of the Practice School.</p>
<p>I completed my diploma thesis at the XXXXXX department of [COMPANY 2] in [CITY], Germany, under the supervision of Dr.-Ing. XXXX, on behalf of [COMPANY 2], and of Prof. Dr.-Ing. XXXXXX, on behalf of XXXXX. [COMPANY 2], known in the United States and Canada as XXXXXX, is the worlds oldest operating pharmaceutical and chemical company. In my thesis I worked on the design, construction and commissioning of an integrated cross-flow pilot plant for the upscaling of membrane processes. Additionally, as part of the project I studied the behavior of organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN) membranes in the purification of fine chemicals using a small dead-end filtration cell.</p>
<p>While the many lessons learned, both technical and personal, make it one of the most satisfying experiences from my stay in Germany, perhaps the most fascinating aspect of doing my thesis at XXXXXX was to realize that it was part of an innovative answer to several simply-worded but challenging questions: how can we use less energy? How can we produce less waste? How can we reduce costs? Or, plainly put, how can we better do what we do? Precisely, it is the combination of advanced technical challenges, high-impact industrial relevance and inventive problem solving that I look forward the most from the Practice School and from my career as an engineer.</p>
<p>It is important to note that science and engineering are not islands removed from a complex global reality. Even though scientific innovations might provide the building blocks for the solutions to many of the worlds most pressing problems, these solutions will only be effective if they take into account the social, economic and political context in which they will be developed. Excellence is not only technical; it also implies the ability to analyze the bigger picture and to take comprehensive decisions. During my studies I have also developed an interest in policy issues, particularly economics and international relations, which I have fostered through my involvement in my universitys Model United Nations delegation and by taking courses in economics and finance. It is my aim to further explore these areas through some of the elective courses of the M.S. CEP program and by participating in relevant events at the MIT campus.</p>
<p>I was part of XXXXXXXs delegation to the Harvard National Model United Nations (HNMUN) from 2005 to 2008. In this annual conference, which simulates the proceedings of several committees of the United Nations, university students from all around the world engage in the discussion of a wide variety of topics with global relevance. During my last year in the delegation I was elected to serve as an academic advisor and as a member of the organizations board of directors. My engagement in this activity allowed me to pursue my interest in international issues and to develop skills in negotiation, communication and leadership. In particular, that year in which I was actively involved in the management of the delegation proved very helpful in developing organizational, planning and teamwork skills. I am looking forward to further hone these abilities during my participation in the Practice School.</p>
<p>I am confident that the M.S. CEP programs combination of challenging coursework and hands-on industry experience will provide me with a privileged vantage point to see the broad possibilities that chemical engineering offers. I want to be a leader and a participant in the search and application of modern and innovative solutions in my field, and I am confident that the M.S. in Chemical Engineering Practice is the ideal next step in order to achieve this. I believe that my solid preparation in the fundamentals of chemical engineering and my resolute work ethic and motivation put me in a great position to take the best out of this opportunity and make a positive contribution to the MIT community. I look forward to your positive response and to joining the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.</p>