PHD, Industrial & Systems Engineering

I was raised in an impoverished home in the Philippines where education is highly valued but the funding for it is often lacking. I found a route out of my situation through a talent and passion for Mathematics that was recognized throughout my schooldays. The talent and passion was supplemented by the adoption of a thoroughly focused, committed and determined approach to my work throughout my academic career. My work was rewarded with school honors, a university scholarship, the award of Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of XXXX in the Philippines, and finally an invitation to teach there.

 I was subsequently selected to receive sponsorship to enable me to study for a second Master’s degree in Applied and Computational Mathematics at the XXXX Institute of Technology. This degree was awarded in May 2008. Whilst studying at XXXX, I was also selected to provide teaching assistance.

 I was employed for thirteen years as a fully qualified instructor at the University of XXXX, teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses. During this time I was also involved in various interdepartmental research projects. These projects included collaborative work with the Larenstein University of the Netherlands in implementing a Geographic Information System to the pre-selected curricula of the College of Arts and Sciences at the USC. My work on this project was the subject of the thesis for my Master’s degree.

  It had always been my intention to ‘give something back’ by teaching. This was in gratitude for my own academic and economic advancement which was in no small part due to the dedicated and skillful teaching that I received. However, I now seek to broaden my horizons.

 I feel that I have achieved much from an unpromising start, I am sure that I have made a difference to those I have taught and I have personally acquired a thorough knowledge of my subject over many years of study and research.  I now seek a new challenge. I wish to apply my mathematical knowledge and skill to specific practical applications that will improve the lives of people generally, especially those who live in the impoverished circumstances that I once shared. It is for this reason that I am making my application for your program.

 I want to acquire the advanced training in Industrial and Systems Engineering that your program specifically offers, together with an emphasis on study and research in the areas of ’human factors’ and ergonomics. I am aware that these are areas of growing interest and that rapid advances are being made, I feel strongly that I can make a significant contribution to that work. The program fits my goals very well in that it will provide the knowledge I require to enable me to beneficially affect the lives of others economically, whilst giving full consideration to human needs and feelings.

 Having acquired a Ph.D. it is my intention to seek employment in my home country within either industry or a in a research institution and to bring the fruits of my study and research to bear upon economically beneficial and humanly positive applications.

 The volume and quality of the research work that I have undertaken in obtaining two Master’s degrees together with that undertaken in a fairly long teaching career has provided me with a very solid understanding of successful research and the techniques involved in achieving it. This significant research experience is highly relevant to a Doctorate program and I believe that this makes me an exceptional candidate for work at this level. My background also includes a significant amount of interdisciplinary research which is also a major characteristic of your Ph.D. program. This will minimize any familiarization or training necessary for my full participation in the work of the academic community.

 I am aware that the program will attract many well qualified applicants and that the committee will have difficult choices to make. However, I feel strongly that I can make a significant contribution to the academic community by pursuing my chosen areas of research and I can also bring some unique and useful insights to my class from my background, studies and research to date. I also offer proven dedication, a solid work ethic and a passion for the subject that will be hard to match.