Engineering Personal Statement Example

I have always enjoyed problem-solving, so applying the skills and knowledge obtained through my study of Maths and Physics to solve challenging, real-world problems is why I want to study engineering. The energy crisis, in particular, is perhaps the most significant issue facing the planet. With engineers at the forefront of this challenge, I aspire to help create and develop new designs in the emerging hydrogen fuel, nuclear power, and renewable energy industries.

Studying twentieth-century British politics in History has taught me about each government's reliance on engineers to solve the nation's problems during its most testing circumstances. During class discussion, we analysed Winston Churchill's decision to implement underwater pipelines and floating harbours to improve Allied logistics during the Normandy landings, and Harold Wilson's call to forge a new Britain under the "white heat" of a technological revolution in 1963. Sixty years later, engineers are still responsible for advancing British and broader society to positively impact the globe.

To further develop my prior understanding of mechanics and electronics, I enrolled in the 2022/23 VEX Robotics Competition, where I worked with another student to design, build, and program a robot to compete in a game-based engineering challenge. The competition allowed me to gain significant hands-on experience in the workshop, enabling me to apply fundamental principles of mechanics, in particular torque and stress-strain. Utilising a rolling conveyor intake and a firing mechanism, our robot could load, reorientate and shoot multiple flat discs from the floor toward targets. I programmed the VEX control system using a new coding software, furthering my experience gained studying Computer Science at GCSE. Seeing how I could program a simple control system to perform a series of sophisticated tasks inspired me to learn about the computers controlling my robot; thus, I completed an edX course on circuit analysis and electronics provided by MIT. For aspects of the course, I used a circuit sandbox to conduct DC, AC, and transient analysis of various electrical circuits involving components not explored in my A-level Physics syllabus, such as capacitors and transistors.

After partaking in virtual work experience with Siemens, I saw how a multinational corporation was developing the most innovative solutions for reliable and efficient energy production. One product of interest was the SGen-2000P series, a pressurised air-cooled generator aimed at replacing more complex and hazardous hydrogen-cooled generators to reduce plant complexity. I was also drawn to Hexham-based RED Engineering's use of mechatronics to safely process nuclear materials by integrating a modular robot within a containment vessel, removing the risk of human endangerment. Although arising from two very different companies, these intuitive designs stood out to me as they are simple ideas that require complex mathematics and physics to solve issues that implicitly affect us all.

Outside of academia, working part-time as a bartender, while being enjoyable, has enabled me to develop my interpersonal skills. I also enjoy participating in and watching sports, with football especially being influential in my life. I recently had the privilege of captaining my school's 1st XI team, which has allowed me to display my leadership qualities as well as take responsibility for a collective squad.

I look forward to obtaining the theoretical and practical understanding a degree in engineering would equip me with to provide solutions for the problems we face.