When I was a student, I found myself intrigued by how and why things work the way they do. Now, having studied Mechanical Engineering for three and a half years and having a little research experience, I am convinced that improving our understanding of the how and why would significantly influence the way we lead our lives. During the last three and a half years I have spent most of my time carrying out experimental studies and attending lectures and seminars. My favorite lessons were on multifunctional and adaptive materials, green fuels, and clean energy technologies. The inter-institutional seminar on sustainable and green production strategies was also of great interest to me. Many researchers and engineers participated and told us about their current research and its application to everyday life. All of this significantly improved my understanding of the topic and further increased my interest in it. I found the mechanical behavior of materials to be of great interest to me. My knowledge of mechanical and materials engineering has proven very useful in understanding the principles underlying the behavior of materials. Consequently, one of my research projects involves studying the mechanical properties of the thermosetting plastic blend of phenol formaldehyde and chitin and another involves studying the microstructures and mechanical properties of welded components. I did my first research project in the third semester under the guidance of Professor RS Uma Maheshwar Rao. This was an experimental study on the mechanical properties of the thermosetting plastic mixture of phenol formaldehyde and chitin. The goal of the project was to develop a new composite system by reinforcing phenol formaldehyde with...... middle of paper ......rive semesters of college education made me want to understand the mechanical behavior of materials in depth. Having employed the knowledge gained in different fields of mechanical engineering in the above-mentioned projects, I feel prepared for further studies and research in the fields of materials science and engineering. After graduation, I plan to continue my scientific career in the field of Materials Science and Engineering. Study of the mechanical behavior of materials (Associate Professor Vernery), study of biomaterials and liquid crystals (Professor Schwartz) and study of materials for energy storage (Professor Stoldt) are of particular interest to me. I have the strongest incentive to advance as far as possible in this fascinating science, and I am confident that enrolling at the University of Colorado, Boulder, is the best way to make it happen.