Personal Statement (PhD)
Career advancement is a crucial element in any professional field. It leads to both personal and professional growth with multiple benefits to the society. Higher education provides an avenue for achievement of such goals. In view of this I am seeking to attain higher education (PhD) in my area of expertise in order to boost my professional career and increase my opportunities in this field of microbiology and molecular biology.
I am interested in joining Laurentian University in a bid to achieve both scholarly and personal short term goals. The pursuit for a PhD at this prestigious university will be especially instrumental in enabling me to analyze RNA binding proteins in a quantitative and conceptual manner. This will be an advancement of the research I had undertaken at my masters level. Therefore, it will be possible to link various applications to my MSC research work. Furthermore, through studying this degree I will discover new avenues in understanding various characteristics of the Social Recognition Particle (SRP).
This will also help me to attain my long time goals. This will include the net effect of my PhD based research work will be extensive and instrumental in advancing thecountry’s research findings in institutions ofhigher learning and other research centers. This, I believe, will further aid in creating a link, and consequently filling the professional gap, between hospitals in Saudi Arabia and the research work that is ongoing in the various research centers and institutions. The resultant effect will be advancement in the country’s expertise in this field of study. I can also be used as a tool for bestowing adept knowledge and guiding similar research work. This will increase the number of professionals in the country, leave alone the university.
I am personally committed to advancing my career in Microbiology and Molecular Biology. This is also a base driving force that has pushed me to seek higher education over and above my bachelor’s degree in the same field. In order to make the next academic step, and hence step on the next rank on the academic ladder, it is necessary for me to pursue and excel in a PhD in the same field. Based on the research that I have done about Laurentian University, I believe that it is the most suitable place for me to take my PhD for several reasons. The faculty has adept professors, excellent facilities and a thorough and vigorous course that will guide me towards attaining my PhD with the assurance of impartingof specific and field related knowledge to me.
My personal attributes have tuned me to yearn to learnand gain more knowledge. I managed to establish my area of interest from an early age and I am glad I took a career in Microbiology. The progress I have made thus far has been due to my ability to solve a dynamic range of problems. I am actually challenged when such a situation presents itself and I always enjoy the meeting of common minds to troubleshoot and brainstorm on an issue. I can also adapt to various situations and this kind of dynamism allows me to approach my academics and research work from various angles depending on the difficulty level I perceive. I have also managed to enjoy specificity in learning due to the ability of learning fast. This is in tandem with my high adaptability to multiple situations and scenarios.
My communication skills have also become sharpened as I have had scholarly discussions, presentations and appraisals over the past several years. My work experience has also required forme to communicate effectively with my workmates and even provide sufficient motivation in some cases where I have been a leader. I believe I can make a change due to the positive energy that I motivate from within myself. I am also enthusiastic about challenges and my self-motivation does not allow me to give up even in the face of the most unforeseen and unfathomable challenges.
I have managed to acquire a hands-on work experience in my area of training. This has managed to facilitate my licensing as a Laboratory technician for the Saudi Commission for Health and Specialties. Furthermore, I have successfully completed the Lab Safety andWHMIS Training Course. I have also been fortunate enough to enjoy a scholarship from the Ministry of Higher Education in Saudi Arabia. Over and above schoolwork and work related events, I have also attended and presented a poster at the 63rd Annual Canadian Society of Microbiologists Conference held at Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario.
I have technical proficiency in various areas of Microbiology. These include proficiency in PCR, protein digestion and extraction, profiling of RNA, and pull down assay.I completed my bachelor’s degree in Microbiology in 2005 from Taibah University with a GPA of 4.18.My final year project was on the effect of ultraviolet on the growth of Aspergillus niger. I then undertook a master’s degree program at Laurentian University in Molecular Biology and I am set to complete in December 2013. My thesis was centered on the role of mRNA binging protein in the secretion of a single peptide in Escherichia coli.
My academic training has allowed me to work as a Laboratory technician for Madinah Maternity and Children Hospital. This included working with various teams in the departments of hormones and blood bank hematology, microbiology,and even parasitology. I have also worked as a Laboratory technician in Taibah University in similar fields.
I am a biologist who seeks to improve the science community through conducting adept research. Through pursuing this PhD course, I hope to one day become a lecturer in the field of microbiology and applied bimolecular science. I will profoundly appreciate your consideration to join this university in pursuit of my PhD course.
