Statement of Goals

I hereby present my personal statement of purpose and research goals with an aspiration
to join your esteemed university as a PhD candidate for Fall 2017. From my childhood I have
been fascinated by versatility of materials used in balloons which could be inflated just by
blowing air into it. This inquisitiveness combined with my interest in physics and chemistry
made me take up chemical engineering as my undergraduate major.

In July 2009, I secured admission in Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology, a State Government
Engineering College. Application of the theoretical knowledge gained through classroom studies
was priority for me throughout and this led me to apply for training at TATA STEEL,
Jamshedpur in my 2nd year (2010-11). This experience unveiled the world of research to me. I
worked in the R&D department on the project titled “Removal of chloride from industrial
cooling tower water”. This work involved experimental kinetic study encompassing the
precipitation of chloride as Layer Double Hydroxide (LDH) with Ultra High Lime Alumina
(UHLA). Presently the project has a pilot plant setup at the site at Jamshedpur.

The initial exposure to research encouraged me to apply for a training at CSIR-IMMT: A

Government funded research organization. The project work carried out there catered to a real
life problem faced by the people of that area and was titled “Removal of arsenic from drinking
water using chemical route”. The work consisted of rate study, optimization of the process
parameters and feasibility evaluation for the precipitation process carried out with iron and
aluminum. It also familiarized me with AAS, XRD and FTIR handling and result analysis.

My native (or you may write resident) state of Odisha is the largest bauxite producer of India and
thus faces the unique problem of disposing of a by-product, having very high alkalinity, which is
produced during alumina manufacturing i.e RED MUD. My undergraduate final year project was
based on this and titled “Red mud utilization: A case study on neutralization of red mud by
carbon dioxide”. This work involved the dynamic study of decrease in alkalinity and
optimization of the process parameters in order to achieve neutralization. The work also
encompassed characterization of neutralized red mud for its further use in brick manufacturing.

I graduated with a Cumulative GPA of 8.22/10.0 (Ranked 5th in Class of -----) in 2013. In the
same year I cleared Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineers (GATE 2013, All India Entrance
Exam for graduate study) with an All India Rank of and a percentile 96.313 of and I secured
admission in Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur for pursuing masters in chemical
engineering.
Graduate studies at IIT gave me exposure to advanced courses of Heat Transfer, Mass Transfer,
Fluid Dynamics and Petroleum Engineering that strengthened my basics. My role as a Teaching
Assistant for the Computer Application in Process Engineering lab (CAPE lab) course in my 2 nd
year helped me to hone my skills of programming in the C language, MATLAB and Aspen.

During my 2nd year graduate studies in 2014 I took up a project with Dr. Sudipto Chakraborty
titled “Enhancement of heat transfer of a hot steel plate by cooling with different additives”.
The work involved achievement of ultrafast cooling which could enable us to get high strength
steel by molding the microstructure without alloying it with other material. The work
encompassed synthesis and characterization of surfactants, polymers and nanoparticles dispersed
in water. 2-D modeling of a hot steel plate and optimization of parameters involved in order to
get maximum cooling rate were also carried out. The results of my work have been published in
Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science journal titled “Effect of polymer additive on the
cooling rate of a hot steel plate by using water jet”. My results with TiO2 nanofluid have been
accepted in Powder Technology journal (Ref. No.: POWTEC-D-16-00337R2). I graduated
from IIT Kharagpur in the year 2015, with a CGPA of 9.52/10 (Ranked 4th in a class of 60).
Before going for higher studies I wanted to gain professional experience in which I could apply
my theoretical principles to actual field problems, thereby strengthening my skills and helping
me realize my dream of being a complete chemical engineer. Therefore, I joined Hospira
Healthcare Private limited (A Pfizer company) in August 2015 as a Technical Professional
Development Program Associate. In the period I have been in job I have carried out numerous
projects like water balance of the entire site, designing of temperature control unit for
Tazobactum manufacturing process, designing of distillation column for distillation of acetone
water stream to name a few. A Ph.D. at this point will be the right step in realizing my career
goals.

From my experience in undergraduate and graduate level, I have identified functional

nanomaterials and its applications in devices, nanotechnology, and development of polymer nano
composites and novel catalysts, as my primary research interest. My primary goal is to become a
part of a research group whose work aligns with my aforementioned interests. My long term goal
after graduation would be to use my experience eventually to contribute to research either in
academia or as part of an R&D team.

The possibilities to obtain excellent education and a propitious environment to conduct research
are of key importance, according to me. This is why I consider doctoral studies at University of
Colorado Boulder as the next stepping stone of my career. I am particularly attracted to the
research on materials in the department because of the wide range application of the technology
in the form of devices, nanotechnology, polymer engineering and nano fabrication. After going
through the profiles of various faculties in the Chemical and Biological Engineering
Department, I am highly influenced by the work of Dr. Prashant Nagpal whose pioneering
work on functional nanomaterials, nanoparticle assemblies, optical nanomaterials and
nanostructured devices are particularly in congruence with my research interests. It would also
be an honor to work with Dr. Jennifer N. Cha whose works on biomaterials and nanoparticle
self-assembly has really influenced me. I have also gone through the work of Dr. Andrew P.
Goodwin on colloid & interface science and polymer engineering. I would be honored to work
with any of them and in any of the above mentioned areas and also in other new areas as this will
help me reach my career goals.

My experience of working in a research group for my M. Tech thesis has given me an insight
into the amount of dedication and perseverance that a career in research demands. After careful
consideration of my long term goals as well as the commitment necessary for a Ph.D., I believe
that I am well equipped for pursuing a graduate degree. I am very confident that I would be able
to contribute fruitfully to the ongoing research in the department. I look forward to a mutually
beneficial relationship with the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department at University
of Colorado Boulder.