Personal Statement

Several years ago, when I was still wandering in disillusionment and despair, a quotation from the French literary class Le Conte de Monte Cristo gave me an enlightening edifice: "Enjoy the joy of your life. Never forget that, before the God reveals the future of mankind, all human wisdom is contained two words: wait and anticipate." Whenever I face difficulties and the need to make a choice, the above words would come to my mind, which would invariably empower me with courage and confidence to confront the challenge. As long as there is hope, I have reason to wait, wait for the rewards for your efforts, and the sweetness after pain.

In July 19---, I experienced the three most miserable days in my life. Albeit an outstanding student throughout the high school, I failed to secure a satisfactory score that matched my actual scholastic aptitude. However, I did not allow this heavy blow to prevent me from pursuing my prescribed objective. After much investigation, I chose to study at the Junior College of xxxxxxx University, one of the few top universities in China that offered chances for a junior college student to proceed onto undergraduate program. There, I specialized in chemistry, a subject that has fascinated me and will continue to fascinate me for the rest of my life. Motivated by strong interests and well-defined objective, I achieved comprehensive development in my academic progress, experimental techniques and in social practice. Three years later, after rigorous screening tests, I started my formal undergraduate program with distinguished academic performance at the Junior College. With my continued efforts, I ranked among the top 5% among a total of 100 students of my grade.

The fact that chemistry is a experimental science has profoundly influenced my learning strategies and orientations. I liked all the experiment courses and all the courses and research trainings related to chemical instruments. That was because doing experiments was a form challenge. On one hand, I could test my ability to apply theoretical knowledge to solving practical problems. On the other hand, the process of discovering experimental results constituted for me the exciting process of "waiting" and "anticipating". The research trainings that I received enhanced my ability to work independently and creatively. In addition, those trainings made me acutely aware of the importance of rigorous thinking and investigation in achieving higher levels of academic successes. My hard efforts paid off. In 1999, I collaborated with Prof. xxxxxxx (Ph.D. in Chemical Polymer Materials from ------- University) and his students. On the basis of the experimental analysis, we published our research findings in a paper entitled Studies on Lyotropic and Termotropic Liquid Crystalline Bahavior of Cyanoethylhydroxypropyl Chitosan in China‘s most authoritative journal, Journal of Chemical Studies of Institutions of Higher Learning (---). At the same time, under the guidance of my tutor, I completed my thesis entitled The Preparation of Carbon Nanotube and Its Shedding Characteristics. By analyzing the absorbing properties and characteristics of carbon nanotube by means of TPD experiments, the thesis possessed highly practical value to the development of carbon nanotube into a new model of absorbing-shedding media. My thesis received highly positive comments from my tutor and it was rated as Thesis of Excellence of the Year.
Subsequent to my university graduation, I worked at the Chemistry Department of Pharmacy Institute of Hunan Traditional Chinese Medicine where I was primarily responsible for teaching and the research in the field of analytical chemistry. This is the arena to display my comprehensive capabilities. In the initial work in the lab, I readjusted and repaired all the outdated instruments that became malfunctioning because of lack of maintenance. At the same time, I formulated a series of regulations concerning the use of the lab, such as the use, maintenance and repairing of instruments and the suggestions for the safe usage of medical reagents. All those measures ensured the ordered operations of lab classes. In teaching the experiment course of analytical chemistry, I was well received by students for my comprehensive and solid framework of knowledge, lively and diversified way of teaching. In my work, I paid significant attention to improving my ability to analyze, isolate and purify the medical ingredients. As chief member of the research team, I participated in the Study on the Isolation of Protein Ingredients in Water Extraction Solutions of Antelope Horn and Cornu Antelopis Block. This was a meaningful attempt at seeking breakthroughs in traditional Chinese medical research. The purpose was to apply plasma exchange chromatography and gel chromatography to isolate the protein ingredients contained in water extraction solution of antelope horn and cornu antelopes block. An analysis of the similarities between the two could provide effective utilization of the discarded cornu antelopis blocks. With solid foundation in experiment operation and instrument analysis, I successfully finished the isolation and purification by means of plasma exchange chromatography and completed the analysis of medical ingredients by means of gas chromatography. After many experiments, I finally proved the similarity in terms of therapeutic effect between antelope horn and cornu entelopis block. At the same time, my research findings corrected the improper procedures in the existing processing technology, providing theoretical foundations for exploiting the utilities of cornu antelopis blocks.

At present, I am involved in a study on how to control the atmospheric pollution produced by the tobacco gas of a local tobacco manufacturing plant. By collecting, isolating and analyzing the tobacco gas, I have discovered that the smoke consists of volatile organic compounds which, when uniting with nitrogen oxides, produce ground-level ozone under the sunshine and pose serious threat to human bodies and the environment. Based on this research, I have applied for undertaking a project, Analysis of Harmful Substances in Tobacco Gas and Its Purification Technique. In connection with this, I have put forward a proposal to the Provincial Environmental Protection Administration for the effective reduction of the exhaust emission by the manufacturing plant, which has won full support. In my work and research over the past few years, I have developed my own effective learning and research strategies and have mastered various kinds of experimental skills. I have acquired all the necessary qualifications for conducting independent research and have accumulated abundant teaching experiences.

In my work over the past two years, I have done much analysis and isolation of traditional Chinese medicine. I have found that, due to the diversity of source plants, the ingredients and components in traditional Chinese medicine are rather complicated. Moreover, the pharmacological effects of traditional Chinese medicine are not defined on the basis of the research concerning their effective substances and the related theories, but are empirically determined on the basis of observing the extent to which the medicines can alleviate the disease symptoms, with human beings as the objects of experiments. It is undeniable that, in terms of the therapeutic effect, traditional Chinese medicines have unique powers in treating certain diseases. The question is, what ingredients in those medicines are responsible for producing the desired therapeutic effects? On account of the limitations in theoretical guidelines, analytical techniques and facilities, our predecessors have done little research in this particular field. Under such circumstances, I decide to pursue an advanced degree program in the United States. I plan to undertake in-depth studies in analytical chemistry and organic chemistry. With the help of the most advanced techniques, I will endeavor to launch analysis and extraction of the complicated components in traditional Chinese medicines for the ultimate chemical synthesis of drugs. With these achievements, a new direction in the application and development of traditional Chinese medicines can be created. In this way, I will be able to make my due contributions to the interactive development of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine.

The day I chose to study chemistry, I chose to wait and to anticipate. I chose to wait because, in waiting, one can entertain infinite anticipations. I chose to anticipate because, in anticipating, life is made replete with hopes and promises.