Sample Statement of Purpose - Mathematics

1 Sample Statement of Purpose - MathematicsMathematics has always been my passion and obsession since my childhood. It always occupied most of my time and I never had any ambition in my life other than being a research was introduced to Mathematics at an age as early as two years through basic arithmetic operations. When I grew older to enter primary school I was haunted by the questions like what is addition and what is subtraction etc. I was not at all happy with the basic school level idea of computing the sum for two given numbers. I started asking the question to myself, what is a number. The non-rigorous nature of school level Mathematics always pained me and I tried to have my own way of defining mathematical concepts for myself, which I came to know to be true later.

2 When I was introduced to Euclidean Geometry, the book told me the conditions when two triangles are congruent. But it never told when two figures in a plane are called congruent. So I defined congruence for myself, and in the process I conceived the notions of isometry and equivalence relations. This way I always tried to rigorize the elementary Mathematics . While leaving school I had developed my keen interest on number theory the penultimate year in my high school, I took part in Regional Mathematical Olympiad-about ten thousand students took that test-and got selected for participation in Indian National Mathematical Olympiad. I also took part in several Mathematics talent search examination that is widely taken by almost all school kids nowadays.

3 And I never achieved anything except the top grade. I also took part in several national level quiz competitions and represented my state. I also received the top grade in Australian Mathematics Competition, in which students from all the countries completing fourteen years of schooling I joined the Indian Statistical Institute ( ) as an undergraduate student in 1997 and completed Bachelor of Statistics (Honors), a three years undergraduate course. After passing Bachelor of Statistics (Honors) with First Division in 2000, I joined the Master of Statistics - a two years Masters program. I am presently in my final year of Master of Statistics doing advanced courses in Mathematics .

4 Is an Institute of National Importance in India and reputed for its high quality teaching and research in Mathematics , Statistics and Probability. Entry to is a highly competitive business. Selection is done through a nation wide examination on Mathematics followed by an interview by the faculty. This selection carries substantial financial support apart from the tuition waiver all through the undergraduate years and the two years of masters. Besides the stipend we are provided with other facilities like contingency grant etc. is the only institute in the country that provides financial support for the undergraduates and hence the competition involved at the entry point is very , I got interested in Probability Theory and Analysis.

5 I received a very strong and rigorous training in both analysis and probability theory. My advanced courses in analysis include courses on functional analysis, Fourier analysis on locally compact abelian groups and Brown-Douglas-Fillmore Theory. And as for probability I have been exposed to training in Brownian motion, Martingale Theory, Markov Processes, Diffusion Theory and Stochastic Calculus. I got interested in Differential Geometry when I was trying to understand the structure of M bius Strip, whose non-orientability drew my attention. Then I visited our Bangalore Center to start my study on Differential Geometry under Prof. V. Pati. Then subsequently I visited the School of Mathematics of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research ( ) (the national center of the Government of India for Mathematics and nuclear Science) twice to take part in Visiting Students Research Program ( ) where I worked with Dr.

6 Pablo A. Gastesi on Differentiable Manifolds and Lie Groups. During my next visit to I worked with Prof. T. N. Venkataramana on Analytic Number Theory. I also attended acourse on Set Theory meant for the Doctoral students. While continuing my study on Differential Geometry I felt that I should have some knowledge of Algebraic Geometry also. So I started to learn Commutative Algebra and subsequently Algebraic Geometry also. This year I took part in International Conference on Algebra and Geometry held during 7th to 12th December 2001 at University of Hyderabad. I was the only student invitee in that conference. I am also attending the Workshop on Operator Theory and Operator Algebra in Indian Statistical Institute, I am working on deriving some known properties of Riemann zeta function using some probabilistic techniques, and metrizing certain class of figures in the plane and looking at the convergence of shapes.

7 And also I am reading some materials about Brownian motion on smooth my student life I had also given a lot effort to extra-curricular activities also. I have been playing violin for quite a few years from now. I have always been interested in poetry also and have been publishing them from time to time. I have also borne the responsibility of editing a few magazines on literature and science awareness. I have been also acting in several stage performances of plays and audio-dramas from my have also put great effort in order to teach Mathematics at elementary level in a rigorous fashion. I have been the in-charge of the Mathematics cell of an organization that is involved in science awareness.

8 Thus teaching has always been of great pleasure to me. I carried out several training camps in Mathematics and many of my students performed excellently in Regional and National Mathematical Olympiads. And my background in acting has always enhanced my skill of presentation. I have also given several student seminars in my institute, which were widely appreciated. The topics of my seminar include Differential Geometry, Analytic Number Theory, Measure Theory and many more. But learning Mathematics for myself has always remained at the center of my from having the requisite background, I am confident that my dedication, hard work and strong will to achieve success will help me create a niche for myself in the areas of my interest.

9 I am also confident that I will be able to meet the demands and requirements of the graduate courses and research work in your department. I hope to pursue a career in research in Mathematics , and eventually contribute significantly to this branch of you very much for considering my application.