Personal Statement

Program: Computer Science

I constantly congratulate myself on my luck that I have experienced and will continue to experience such a colorful life that I am experiencing. The condition of being enamored of computer science and the specialty of electronic information, together with my everlasting dabbling in artistic activities, has enabled me to savor a much more colorful and fulfilling life than most of my peers. The rationality as embodied in computer science and the emotionality as incorporated in art have made it possible for me to develop a character of pluralism, endowing me with a healthy personality. These elements have also contributed to another aspect in my personality—the courage to seek the fulfillment of my objectives in an indefatigable manner. Having won a series of special honors such as Outstanding University Graduate of Beijing Municipality (only four students in a university are eligible for the honor), Outstanding Student Leader of Beijing University of Science and Engineering and several major achievements in the course of my employment, I crave for an opportunity to transcend my existing conditions, an opportunity which may allow me to fulfill even greater values of my life in accordance with the progress of society as a whole.

I feel proud for having chosen electronics and information technology as a subject of my lifelong pursuit. In 1997, with outstanding scholastic performance at the competitive entrance examination, I was matriculated into Beijing University of Science and Engineering, one of the best polytechnic universities in China, and became an ambitious and aspiring student of the Department of Communications and Control. From that time on, I became inextricably connected with my specialty. I immersed myself in the most diligent learning of every course related to my specialty and derived immense pleasure from every programming experiment. Equipped with a sensitivity to cogent abstract thinking represented by mathematics and logical analysis, I studied with much interest and fascination those theories which seemed monotonous and tedious to most of my classmates. However, as my study of the courses in my specialty consumed almost all of energy, I failed to give sufficient attention to those outdated and doctrinaire courses such as The Principle of Marxist Philosophy. This resulted in my relatively low scores in those courses, which seriously affected my GPA. Nevertheless, as a student in engineering, I consciously attempted to improve my experimental skills and to cultivate my problem-solving aptitudes. The project that I designed for the Electronic Designing Course was put on campus-wide exhibition. My GPA for the core subjects can be listed among top 8% ranking of my grade. I received scholarships for three consecutive years and served as class president, extensively involved in extracurricular activities.

In the spring of 2001, when I attempted at my graduation thesis, I focused my project on Information Hiding Technology, in particular, on the research and improvement of digital watermarking. I was motivated by the consideration that network security is the most susceptible part of the current network, posing as the greatest obstacle to the further development of network. By synthesizing the researching findings of my predecessors, I proposed new perspectives on the positioning of imbedded watermarks in my project, which worked out the conventional incompatibility between the stability and the invisibility of DCT-based watermark. On account of the rigorousness and creativity of my project and its major realistic significance in copyright protection of digital media, forgery identification, secret communication of network information, and digital mark hiding, I was awarded “class A” rating for the project, an honor to which only four out of 60 students in my department were entitled that year. This accolade brought my undergraduate studies to a successful completion and created a fresh starting point to scale new heights.

Having a period of precious work experience is one of my greatest assets. Upon graduation, I became an employee with the No. 1 Service Center of Beijing Telecom and Telegraph Bureau. I have been a member in a consecutive series of important projects that include the latest round of the Internet volume expansion of Beijing network, new designing of connection topology of servers, and the formulation of new solutions designed to enhance the security and stability of all networks. I will also participate in the merging project between China Telecom and China Netease. By applying my knowledge to those important projects, I have developed a complete picture of the sophisticated network structure in Beijing and its exquisite network set-up. It is out of this work experience that I generated the idea of improving the existing conditions of network security and the level of management. Network implies computer and in return network constitutes an essential part of computer science and technology. My work experience is valuable in that it has enabled me to accumulate ample empirical wealth and has provided an important groundwork for undertaking higher-level research in computer science.

I am ever so grateful to my parents for having endowed me with versatile talents and a pair of keen eyes with which to seek the joys of life. I am proficient in playing quite a few musical instruments like guitar, piano, the French horn. As deputy chairman of our university’s art troupe, I have directed its participation in two all-China university art festivals where we received several awards, bringing honor to my university on one hand. In all those processes, I have also cultivated my optimistic view of life, enhanced my awareness of teamwork, and improved my leadership and organizational competence. I believe that those qualities are also indispensable for my undertaking future research as a scientist.

As a young man in this age of rapidly developing information technology, I am glad that this age has created precious opportunities for us. Yet I also feel tremendous pressure and challenges posed by this rapidly changing world. Although over the past few decades China has scored considerable achievements in computer technology, there is still an alarming gap between China and its western counterparts in terms of sophisticated computer technology. The scarcity of first-rate computer talents with comprehensive professional qualities is the root cause for the gap that China faces. Motivated by the hope of shortening this gap, I file this application to your most esteemed university to seek a quality education. Apart from a strong faculty and a nurturing academic environment, your university can offer a wide variety of research programs which I believe will help me develop superb hands-on abilities and problem-solving skills. By immersing myself in my future degree program, I will acquire the most updated computer technology. In addition, as an Oriental, I will be able to perfect my character by assimilating what is useful out of my experience of American culture, science and technology.

In the face of potential challenges, I am full of determination and optimism. My experience of undertaking further education at your university will become the most exciting and precious part of my lifelong pursuit for personal excellence and fulfillment.