SOP Sample for MS Electrical & Computer Engineering in Canada

Statement of Purpose

Every experience teaches something valuable and shapes us to the person we dream to become. I find myself to be fortunate to get most of the good ones at the right times. Interested in embedded systems, networking, the internet and artificial intelligence (AI), I wish to make technologically driven products available to all sections of society. Understanding how different technologies work together fascinates me; their confluence is fundamentally changing how businesses and governments operate.

I spent my early childhood in Japan and visited a post office operated by machines. I was amazed to see the integration of technology and human intelligence; automatic ticket systems in subways, ramen shops and restaurants in Japan intrigued me with their operation. My uncle has pursued his master's in the US and has had a good experience studying. He mentions that the education system is holistic and he had an amazing experience learning and interacting with people from various cultures and sharing ideas with them. He has always appreciated my inquisitiveness and says that studying in the US would help me enhance my learning experience and provide immense opportunity to learn from others with similar interests.

During the third year of my undergraduate program, I led a team of 10 in building a drone for surveillance of a given patch of area in the neighborhood. The challenges we faced helped me realize the importance of teamwork. Our drone covered a sufficiently larger area in comparison with the other 20 teams. In my final year, I took part in another project, of recreating a vending machine for the college lab to help the lab assistant provide components to students at a faster rate.

I won 8th Place World Wide and was the 1st in Asia in the [COMPETITION_NAME] Datathon hosted by [PLATFORM_NAME], where I created a model that predicts the presence of oil palm plantations in satellite imagery. The [COMPETITION_NAME] Datathon 2019 is led by the Global [COMPETITION_NAME] team at [UNIVERSITY_NAME], the [ORGANIZATION_NAME], and the [COMPETITION_NAME] Datathon Committee. [COMPANY_NAME] and [COMPANY_NAME] have provided an annotated dataset of satellite images recently taken by [COMPANY_NAME] satellites. The dataset images have 3-meter spatial resolution, and each is labeled as per whether an oil palm plantation appears in the image or not (0 for no plantation, 1 for any presence of a plantation).

I have been working at [COMPANY_NAME] since the past two years as a Project Engineer. I was put in a team where my co-workers had much more experience than I did, of about five years. I like to be around people and learn their experiences. Once, I was struggling to build a rapport with my colleagues at work, so my manager had asked me to host an event. I had found it quite challenging since it was to be conducted virtually as everyone was at home due to the pandemic. I organized various games like movie charades. I was able to understand the temperament of my colleagues through this exercise and found it easy to communicate with them. Initially, it was hard to accomplish tasks at their pace. I had to turn inward, work harder and smarter to contribute efficiently. This journey made me a more confident and stronger person. To meet industry deadlines where time is crucial, one has to be very clear with their goals and objectives. I got to network with a lot of people from different teams and understand how they viewed and understood the workings of the industry.

The transition between academic learning to self-driven professional learning was extremely challenging. At first I found it very difficult to understand the workplace etiquettes, workflow and organization. I was very curious to know how things worked but found it hard to organize and respond to tasks that were assigned to me. I came across this book called "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People." It provided a holistic, integrated, principle-centered approach for solving my professional and personal problems. The pointed anecdotes and profound insights in the book opened my mind to a progressive pathway for living with fairness, integrity, honesty and human dignity. In my personal opinion after I implemented the principles stated by the author, [AUTHOR_NAME], I felt a sense of security to adapt to change and a little wisdom to take advantage of the opportunity that change creates. The challenges that I had to face because of Covid gave the opportunity to use the principles stated and I was able to internalize them very quickly. After understanding and learning the "7 habits", I've started reading the book "The 8th Habit: From Greatness to Effectiveness" by the same author and I have realized that there is tremendous scope to feel one's potential and unique talents. One of the reasons I am convicted and passionate to understand more about habits is because there is a profound yearning to find the true voice within, to matter and make a difference to myself and the people around me. The whole experience gave me a lot of self-confidence and I am appreciated by my colleagues and peers for the progress made.

After working as an automation engineer for two years, I feel this is the right time to pursue specialization in embedded systems and engineering. I already have some experience in the field and am mature to understand and make decisions that can help me contribute to the field. I want to have an in-depth understanding of how embedded systems are designed.

My short-term goal is to be a system engineer in an automotive firm or any leading OEM company that is a supplier for an automotive firm. I want to understand how the ADAS module and the other electronic control units work together in sync and develop software code. Eventually, I aim to design the unit itself and architect systems and become a product expert who knows how to optimize resources and budget them as well.

Currently, I am pursuing a diploma in fine arts from [INSTITUTION_NAME]. This has helped me become patient, by focusing on the present. I have come to the realization that more than the goal, the people you spend time with during the journey and the journey itself are of importance. This course has helped me find solace and peace within myself. I've stopped compartmentalizing and judging people and situations. I've learned to see things the way they are.

The Master in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the [UNIVERSITY_NAME] will act as a solid foundation on which to build my career and calling. I will learn the relevant skills and knowledge and interact with people with similar interests from different parts of the globe. I will gain tremendously from the multicultural environment of the university. Canada has the required opportunities for me to thrive professionally. I would like to contribute to any research facility I find interesting. I would also like to be a part of the creative space the college has and maybe contribute my art or even teach people who are finding an opportunity to learn art alongside their coursework.