REU Personal Statement

The desire to learn has always guided me toward challenging new opportunities, from leaving home to attend a four-year university to accepting an REU position 1500 miles away from Minnesota. Now I am excited to be applying for a graduate program where I can sate my desire to learn while contributing to the betterment of our world.

I come from the small town of Raymond, MN with a population of about 600 people. After high school, most people chose to remain close to home; taking over their parent’s farms or working at the nearby sugar beet co-op. It was for this reason that my family did not understand why I wanted to go so far away for school, and so I was on my own to navigate higher education. Finding a university was simple. Adjusting to university life, however, was challenging and for a time I doubted whether I had made the right decision. It was my desire to learn that allowed me to succeed. When classes became more difficult, I spent more time studying. When there simply was not enough time, I became more efficient. I have adapted to and overcome each challenge that has presented itself. I am

My goal was to narrow down which discipline of chemistry I favored most and get a feel for academic research. I was accepted into a ten-week program at the University of Connecticut where I worked in Dr. Jie He’s group synthesizing transition metal nanoparticles and mesoporous materials. The time I spent in Connecticut was enjoyable, rewarding and informative. I worked with and talked to many graduate students. I also learned first-hand what is required to be successful in a graduate program; namely perseverance and an unbelievable work ethic. In Connecticut, I achieved my goal and have decided that I would like to study materials. Earlier this year I was ecstatic to be notified that the project I had worked on at UCONN was published in