please tell me how to strengthen it?
Also I think its a bit long,where can I reduce it?
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
Ever since I can remember, my first understanding of what environment means to each one of us came with a 10 day Environment Exposure camp in the Himalayas when I was eleven. At camp, we were made aware of the different facets of the environment, taken to local homes and villages to understand the value in everyday lives and then made to understand consequences of loss and damage to the environment. This experience left a significant impact. As I grew up, such things would easily capture me. I followed up by attending several seminars and workshops at Centre for Environment Education and Vikram Sarabhai Community Science Centre in my city. But during my higher secondary education I did very well on International Biotechnology Olympiads which became my driving force and in turn led me to do majors in Biotechnology.
As I entered college, I decided not to restrict myself to a particular area. Instead, I focused on widening my base and gaining perspective in other areas. Through attending conferences, symposiums and doing projects I have been able to build vista and also add other elements to my learning. I explored use of biotechnology in pharmaceuticals, understood role of drugs in disease elimination. By carrying out an Internship at Intas Biopharmaceuticals, in Quality Control department, I became familiar with sophisticated techniques like PAGE, Spectrophotometric analysis, HPLC, etc to ensure quality of drugs. Spending time at some top notch companies like Reliance Life Sciences, where I participated in a symposium on Carcinogenesis and Green Cross Laboratories exposed me to individuals who were the very best at what they did. I witnessed their dedicated efforts and consistent pursuit of excellence.
During my coursework, the subjects that piqued my interest was Biodiversity and Environment, Industrial Microbiology and Environmental Biotechnology where I had details about Ecosystems, Conservation of endangered species, Wastewater Treatment, Bioremediation, etc. I was able to understand and grasp it really well and felt an urge to increase my awareness about Environmental issues and challenges.
In the quest of strengthening my knowledge, I began with assisting a Waste water analysis project carried out on Mahul creek in Mumbai. Also I have pursued a short training at Green Environment Pvt. which is one of the largest effluent treatment plants in Gujarat. Here we performed several tests on effluents derived from all kind of industries and I gained knowledge and experience about pollution parameters and several techniques like COD,BOD,DO,Toxicity analysis etc. Looking at the data on waste water and effluent generation, just of Ahmedabad city , I was thrilled and felt dire need to change this scenario and replicate this over the world.
Through all this my interest in the environment sciences got firm and I realized my true calling. Currently I am working on a project of Bioremediation of Soil contaminated with Heavy Metals by Rhizobium.species under guidance of Dr.Neetin Desai, Head of Biotechnology department of our college. So far, we have carried out PCR and RAPD analysis using 16s rRNA to check its species diversity and MIC studies to check it tolerance to heavy metals like mercury, zinc, arsenic, etc. It could be a potential tool for bioremediation along with its nitrogen fixing capabilities. Also we are planning to sequence these strains and if successful, we wish to publish them in NCBI database. This project ignited in me a passion for research and at the same time provided me with an opportunity to apply all my theoretical knowledge. I have also had the opportunity and good fortune to present technical paper for the same at IEEE-ISAAC competition.
After having excelled academically by being in the top five percent of my university, I believe that I have laid myself a foundation on which I plan to build upon during the course my graduate study. A MS in Environment science and management can provide me with the platform to further improve and ultimately refine my knowledge and skills in my areas of interest. After my Masters program, I would like to continue my studies and obtain a Ph.D in the same field.
It will serve to give direction to my goal of a career as a professional at a research-oriented organization that provides solutions to a whole gamut of environmental problems ranging from risk analysis of a prospective establishment to pollution control and Bioremediation.
I like to think of myself as an enthusiastic and competitive young go-getter, who is capable of rising up to the challenges that may arise. I feel that life must be experienced; which is why I have a variety of interests, which includes, traveling, trekking, quizzing, occasional bouts of rafting and para-gliding. For a complete extrovert like me, the idea of Graduate study abroad seems like an excellent opportunity to experience diverse cultures. The prospect of studying in University of California Santa Barbara which has a rich blend of students of different ethnic origins and traditions truly excites me.
Achieving balance and thus stability is where I see my future. To be able to achieve such gargantuan task, I seek to equip myself with the best possible education. Therefore, I seek to pursue the graduate program in Environmental science and management at the Bren school, University of California Santa Barbara. Realization that the curriculum is blend of varied subjects which will allow me to be fundamentally powerful yet innovative and inventive is a big attraction. It is my goal to aid in our understanding of environmental pollution on a global scale by analyzing how our current philosophies and policies affect these problems. Upon studying the pursuits of professor. Arturo Keller, particularly in Fate and Transport, Watershed Management, Remediation and Pollution Prevention. I know that given a chance to work under him, I will learn and develop into a consummate and well rounded professional. I feel prepared and ready and I come committed seeking the opportunity to get the essential education to get me going.
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