PROMPT: Provide a brief statement of your scientific and professional interests and objectives

and explain why you are interested in graduate studies at [University Name]. Include a
description of your past accomplishments that are not evident from the examination of other
documents submitted, including research in progress. Discuss the most influential science or
engineering experience you have had. We are interested in how your personal background has
equipped you to work within diverse communities and situations where you faced and overcame
a challenge. The statement must be written by the applicant in English. It must not be written in
another language and translated for the applicant by another person.
** Lots of information redacted and replaced by things in square brackets

Even after spending the last 16 months pursuing a [degree name] in nanoelectronics, I am
constantly amazed by the potential of nanoscale electronic and optoelectronic materials. I believe
that understanding the origins of novel phenomena in these materials will allow us to tailor their
properties by engineering their chemistry and topological features, and I look forward to a future
where these “designer materials” will revolutionize sectors from healthcare to entertainment. For
my PhD, I hope to leverage the [number of months] of nanoelectronics research experience I will
have gained by September 20XX alongside the [number of months] of experimental research I
gained throughout my [previous degree] to contribute towards developing these materials and
devices based upon them, which I believe is one of the most exciting opportunities in research
today.

I am currently pursuing an [degree name] at [University Name] where I am using [research

method] to study [research topic] as a member of [PI’s name] research group. My [degree name]
research focuses on building comprehensive models of [fairly detailed one-sentence description
of what I’m doing]. I believe that the success I have achieved during my [degree name] is my
greatest research accomplishment to date, with three specific outcomes that I am especially
proud of.

Firstly, last June, I first-authored a paper in which I demonstrated that [thing that I showed -- a
fair amount of detail, ~two sentences]. Secondly, another first-authored paper of mine was
recently accepted for publication. In this work, I studied how [short description of research
topic]. One challenge I overcame in this work was explaining why [main research question]. To
address this, I modeled the [~two sentence description of how I modeled things]. Finally, earlier
this year, I presented my research at [event name], receiving [award name] for [description].

I am especially proud of accomplishing so much during my [degree name] despite the fact that
the COVID-19 pandemic has forced me to work remotely for [number] out of the [larger
number] months I have so far spent pursuing my degree. This has added additional challenges to
my research, though it has also helped me develop strong independent research abilities, time
management skills, and self-motivation. For this reason, I consider the time I have spent
pursuing my [degree name] to be the most influential science/engineering experience in my
career. I am confident that my independent research abilities, along with my expertise in
nanoelectronics and scientific communication, have prepared me well for PhD-level research in
electronic/optoelectronic materials and devices at [University Name].

Prior to my [current degree], I earned my [previous degree] at the [university name] through an
honors program that gave me the opportunity to gain [number of months] research experience
through internships. In my internship at [University’s name] [Department Name], I studied
organometallic colloids and learned organic synthesis techniques, and in my next two internships
at t[university’s name], I gained practical experience building and testing microfluidic devices
with micrometer-scale features and alignments. These experiences have prepared me well for
fabricating and characterizing novel electronic and optoelectronic materials. In my final
internship at [University name] I designed [thing that I designed]. Through this experience, I
developed a strong background in interfacial science that will allow me to efficiently integrate
electronic/optoelectronic materials into devices for characterization and for exploring their utility
in novel applications.

I am interested in pursuing my PhD in [Department Name] at [University Name] because my

major research interest – developing novel electronic/optoelectronic materials and devices – lies
at the intersection of device physics and materials science, which makes the interdisciplinary
environment at [University Name’s] Department of [Department Name] extremely appealing to
me. Most importantly, the Department hosts faculty members whose research interests align with
mine extremely well. In particular, I am especially excited at the prospect of working with [three
PIs’ names] throughout my PhD. Each of these Professors’ recent research has included studies
on low-dimensional materials, a class of electronic/optoelectronic materials that I have studied
throughout my [degree name] and that I would like to further explore throughout my PhD. For
example, I was very excited to learn about [PI #1’s name] recent work on [specific research
direction #1], [PI #1’s name] study on [description of study], and [PI’s name] recent research on
[description of work]. I believe that each of these research directions are promising approaches
for tailoring the properties of novel electronic/optoelectronic materials. I am confident that
contributing to such work throughout my PhD would be an excellent way for me to address my
research goal of developing novel materials for use in next-generation nanoscale devices.

I believe that pursuing a long-term career in research is the best way for me to realize my goal of
developing novel electronic/optoelectronic materials and devices for practical applications. I
aspire to one day lead my own research group at a university as a professor, pioneering
next-generation designer materials that will enable electronic and optical devices with
unprecedented operating principles and performances. Depending on the state of the field when I
finish my PhD, I could also become a senior scientist in industrial R&D, which would allow me
to directly work towards integrating novel materials into practical technologies. Whichever path
I choose, I believe that the knowledge and expertise I gain through my PhD research at
[University Name’s Department of XX] will be an invaluable asset for achieving my long-term
research goals. I look forward to taking the next step in my research career by applying my
expertise in computational nanoelectronics, experimental research, and scientific communication
to develop novel electronic/optoelectronic materials and devices during my PhD research in
[Department] at [University Name].