Chemistry Personal Statement Example 14

Chemistry is all around us. From the very clothes on our back to the products we use every day, chemistry has been involved in their development. As it is a multi-faceted and ever-evolving subject, providing endless fascination, there are constantly new challenges and questions which must be answered. With the current need for alternative fuels, and rising levels of global pollution, chemistry now more than ever is essential for the future. This is one of the reasons why I wish to study chemistry at degree level. The opportunity to be involved in something which makes a difference to the world is something I greatly desire.

Recently I won the Nuffield Bursary which enabled me to take part in a 4 week theoretical chemistry project at the University of Manchester, under the supervision of Dr. Richard Henchman. During my time there I gained an insight into how chemistry research takes place at a high level, and further developed my own interest in it. Moreover, the project facilitated an expansion of my knowledge beyond the A-level syllabus, as the concepts studied were ones which I hadn't encountered before. I was also given the opportunity to use various scientific programs, such as AMBER to simulate the behavior of various liquids, LaTeX for writing up a report of my project, VMD to visualize molecules in 3D and MATLAB to create graphs and figures for my report.

I have subsequently been invited to submit my project (A Molecular Interpretation of Trouton's Rule) for a CREST Gold Award. I will also enter it into the National Science and Engineering Competition for a chance to attend the Big Bang Fair 2010. The findings from the project are currently being written up into an article for submission to a scientific journal by Dr. Henchman.

The interface of chemistry with other subjects such as maths and physics is another reason why I wish to study it at degree level. I greatly enjoy these subjects as well, as they are intellectually challenging and problem solving orientated. The use of calculus in particular in these three subjects is an area which intrigues me, as it is purely mathematical and it can be applied in a variety of situations. In Year 9 at my secondary school, St Thomas More, I participated with three others in the UKMT Team Maths Challenge in which we placed third out of approximately 30 other schools in the Greater Manchester region. Also whilst I was at school, I received the Tameside Pupil Achievement award for very good academic attainment.

Outside college I thoroughly enjoy playing sports, something which I would be glad to continue at university. At my local badminton club I regularly play doubles, in which co-ordination and communication with your partner are vital. At St Thomas More I played for the badminton team which achieved great success in regional competitions. I have played football and cricket both for clubs and school, occasionally captaining my cricket team and developing my teamwork and leadership skills. Furthermore, I have a part time job outside of college at Sainsburys. This has needed good time-management skills, especially during exams, to be able to keep up with my academic work as well as my part time job and extra-curricular activities.

My academic activities outside college include being a member of Mensa and engaging with discussions in special interest groups. Mensa's 'Codes and Ciphers' group gives me opportunities to solve problems and puzzles through the use of logic, and the 'Science' group allows me to be part of a community of academics and intellectuals discussing various aspects of science.

I believe that my determination to be the best that I can be in everything, as well as my academic ability and enthusiasm for the subject, will make me ideal for studying chemistry at university. I hope to expand my knowledge and understanding and use them to tackle the problems that face the world today.