My interest in science dates back to my early childhood. I have always excelled in physical sciences and have received numerous awards in mathematics in
high school. At age 18, I attended Beijing Normal University, majoring
in physics. Four years of extensive study on in physics and my current work
in surface science inspire me to undertake a greater challenge in
pursuing a doctorate degree in physics. My aspiration to be a research
scientist also makes the graduate study an absolute necessity for me.
As an undergraduate student, I specialized in physics, mathematics, and
computer science. And in my junior year study I studied computational
physics in Applied mathematics III, during which I developed a 2-dmensional
model with the finite size effect as a course project. in addition to being
elated by my computer simulated phase transition phenomena, I was
also pleased with the computed values of the critical exponents which
closely agree with theoretical values. During the two-year course on the
fundamentals of experimental physics, I diligently studied the techniques
of operating experimental equipment, such as the epitaxy systems, lithography, and computer controlled data acquisition interfaces. I enjoyed
these hand-on experiences. My current duty, as a research assistant, is to
set up diamond film growth kinetics experiments which is designed to verify
whether the mechanism of H atoms destroying C-H bonds in diamond
film growth is the bottleneck reaction to diamond film formation. The
results will give valuable insights and better enhance the research efforts
of another group here. In the meantime, I am learning about the scanning
probe microscopy, charged particle optics, energy analyzers and instruments
used in surface science through the seminars held in my group. In order to be knowledgeable in the breadth of physics, I have attended
workshop and symposiums in different fields. In the symposium on Symmetries
in Subatomic Physics held in 1995 in Beijing, I worked as an interpreter
and edited the article "Conceptual Beginnings of Various Symmetries in the
Twentieth century Physics" from Prof. C. N. Frank yang�s speech and
translated it into Chinese. Not only did I keep an open mind to get
experiences in academics, I also actively participated in extracurricular
activities in my university years. In the senior year, I was a part-time
teaching assistant grading exams and answering questions in the courses, A
Journey to Subatomic World and From Quarks to Black Holes. I also had a
part-time position as the bulletin board system administrator for the
Physical Society of PRC. I am currently constructing their WWW home page to
improve information exchange and science education in China. Accumulating these valuable experiences, I am preparing myself for a career in
scientific research. Being exposed to surface science, I am interested in
mesoscopic systems and nanostructure materials. I plan to concentrate on
condensed matter physics. Having carefully read the content of the graduate
studies and on-going research programs at University of Washington at
Seattle, I believe that UW is the best place for me to be. I am confident
in that my diverse research experiences together with a firm commitment to
physics have merited me to be qualified to undertake graduate study at the
University of Washington at Seattle. Applicant **** mm/dd/yy
