Personal Statement
The competition was fierce. Our two teams were tied. It all came down to the last question. When my teacher asked, “What is the name of the plateau in the extreme west of China?” I knew the answer immediately. My hand shot up. Answering “Pamir,” I won it all for my team and they admired me for my extensive geographical knowledge. I was the only one who knew the answer. Even in primary school I was fascinated with geography, probably because the world map that my dad put on the wall of my bedroom started my interest since I was 6. And this friendly class competition inspired me to want to learn more. I was constantly reading and studying as it was a subject that I was so obsessed with.
Naturally, when I began at China University of Petroleum, there was no question as to what I would major in – Geographic Information System. The combination of courses in cartography, remote sensing, GPS and computer science all aligned with my interests and I knew that it would provide me with a strong educational foundation. Taking a deep interest in western culture, I also decided to study English Language and Literature and declare a double major. Only about 80 out of 4,000 students are accepted into the double major program because it requires a great deal of commitment and determination to balance the workload for two majors. Not only was I accepted due to my high GPA and strong English scores, I was also elected as class president.
Academic Achievement
I have always been very focused on my study because of my strong desire for knowledge. I usually spend more than 11 hours a day on study and my diligence serves me well. My grades have always ranked very highly and gained me acceptance into both the top middle school and high school in my county on a full ride. By the end of my first year of college I was ranked number three in my major. My sophomore year I rose to number one and was awarded the National Scholarship, which is only given to the top two percent of students each year. I also earned the Schlumberger Scholarship, which is only awarded to 10 students out of 20,000.
Leadership Initiative
In addition to my academic commitment, I am also passionate about giving back and serving the community. I spent a year serving as the assistant chairman for the Red Cross of China University of Petroleum. I was responsible for organizing lectures about the prevention of AIDS, tuberculosis, avian flu, and other communicable diseases. In addition I taught first aid to local residents, instructing them on how to deal with traumatic injuries, drowning, burns and other emergency cases, which are valuable skills to know. For my hard work and dedication I earned the Excellent Youth Volunteer Award. I also played as the captain in the School of Geoscience Football Match where I was voted Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the game. These experiences taught me how to successfully balance my academic responsibilities and extracurricular responsibilities.
Research Experience
With a strong programming ability and research interest, I got lots of opportunities of taking part in research projects. For my Student Technological Innovation Project I decided to model the process of river pollution. I spent a great deal of time carefully researching the topic and refining my program to make it as accurate as possible. Using the Delaunay-triangle method, I created triangle grids that helped simulate the process of river pollution and showed how the concentration of pollutants changed over time based on ArcEngine. Finally, the success of my project won me the Technological Innovation Scholarship. Now I am working on improving the algorithm of evapotranspiration retrieval based on MODIS data. Although I have not got a satisfying outcome, I have learned a lot about IDL programming and remote sensing knowledge through the research progress. Now I am good at searching information, thinking effectively and considering for others in projects. I believe I can make it after thorough research work on existing algorithms.
Why University of British Columbia?
Looking ahead to the future, the geography program at UBC aligns well with my goals and aspirations and is a leading program in the field. I am especially interested in the work of Professor Brian Klinkenberg and know that he would prove a valuable mentor. I wish to deepen my knowledge regarding Remote sensing, GIS and Digital elevation models. Under Professor Klinkenberg’s guidance I will have the opportunity to excel in my studies and research and make positive contributions to the field. I am fascinated by his work in these areas and how they relate to the human environment.
Through my internships, practices, and research, I have already begun to develop a solid understanding of programming and remote sensing that I am eager to extend. I have received top marks in my programming courses such as Programming Language(C)--98, Computing Geography--90, Advanced Programming(C#)--91 and multiple aspects of GIS. Your program will provide me with the necessary resources and opportunities to gain even more in-depth knowledge.
Over the next five years I would like to complete both my master’s and doctor’s degree, becoming an expert in this field. This will prepare me to assume a position as an assistant professor at a university, or as an engineer for an associated company. I will be able to use my knowledge of GIS technology to make a positive impact on human life. If accepted to your program I will bring honor and respect to your university through my hard work, determination, strong interest in the field and innovative spirit.