A statement of purpose is an extremely important part of determining your GPA score. It helps to distinguish you from other students. A lot of people neglect the importance of the statement of purpose for graduate school, and they end up sounding repetitive with a lack of originality. You should not miss out on this great opportunity to show your writing skills and to prove to the educational institution you are applying to that you are exactly what they are looking for.
My goal is to attend a well-respected university, with a strong Geology graduate program. I want to be involved in a program that will both provide and allow me the opportunity to grow, develop and be challenged in my understanding of a subject area that I feel is my niche. As such, I have selected the University of California-Riverside as a top choice of graduate schools to which I am applying.
My professional goals are two-fold. I want to be employed in a leadership role where I make decisions in advancing geospatial technology within government, corporate and educational organizations. Earning a Master’s degree in Geology will provide me with opportunities to broaden my geospatial analysis and problem-solving skills. It will also allow me to use additional resources and advanced tools and methods of data processing. My second goal is to teach at the university level to help students develop critical and spatial thinking skills. I believe as a Master’s level student, I will gain focused expertise in areas of particular interest to then teach to students. Also, the process of earning a Master’s degree will allow me to work more closely with research faculty which, in turn, will help me build a foundation of essential skills for faculty-student interactions. In addition to these goals, I plan to continue my education by earning a Doctorate degree in a field related to remote sensing and geospatial analysis.
As I further my study at the graduate level, I plan to integrate remote sensing and GIS into Spatio-temporal analysis for pre-and post-natural disaster and emergency management preparation. My current research project involves using these skills as I correlate high mountain snow-pack levels with high flood stages in southeastern Idaho. As a benefit of this research, local government officials are better able to prepare for possible flooding hazards along major river channels. To help other researchers and policymakers benefit from this research, I recently presented a poster at the BYU-Idaho Undergraduate Research Conference in December 2011 and will present at the Geological Society of America conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico in May 2012.
From this research experience, I have developed an interest in the short and long-term effects on human sustainability. Specifically, I enjoy working on projects that explore how the dynamics of physical geography, including geomorphic and climatological processes, influence how humans adapt to environmental change. Several Geography faculty members, including Dr Ryan Stevens, study similar topics and methods which would provide excellent learning experiences to help me use specific spatial analysis tools in my study. Dr Stevens’ work on optics and radar integration for land cover mapping aligns with my interest in developing and using remote sensing techniques in many different aspects of geology. I would enjoy working with him and his team to promote scientific research and tools to developing nations across the world.
After careful consideration, I have selected to apply to the University of California-Riverside for three specific reasons which correlate with my goals of education and professional development. First, I feel the program’s emphasis on student research will allow me to gain in-depth, hands-on experiences as I work one on one with professors well versed in my areas of speciality. Second, I want to utilize the University of California-Riverside’s government and international networking resources as I transition from graduate studies into a professional career. Third, the Geology program allows for an interrelated field of the study approach. Not only will I be involved in speciality area student research, but I will also gain a broader understanding of how other fields, such as geomorphology and climatology, effect change within geography, making me a better-rounded geoscientist. Beginning my professional endeavours starts with a solid foundation of education and experience, both of which I will build as a geography graduate student at the University of California-Riverside.