As a recent graduate from University of Pune in Electronics and Communications Engineering. I have been naturally curious throughout my life and am interested in topics such as genetics, evolutionary psychology, game theory, and neurobiology. My current interests in electronics include smart grids, SiC-based power devices, power converters, and the integration of power and control systems like power on chip. My first experience with applied electronics was during my second semester. I was part of a 3-member team that designed an automatic water faucet that controlled water flow based on light intensity on a photodiode for the science exhibit. The project involved the use of a solenoid valve and this was my first experience of Lenz's law with a blown transistor due to inductance. During my third semester, the Power Devices and Machines course introduced us to power devices such as power diodes, BJTs, and MOSFETs, and the tradeoffs involved in switching time/breakdown voltage /on-state resistance. The course also covered the 3 basic topologies of DC-DC converters: Buck, Boost, Buck-Boost, rectifiers and inverters. We learned about brushed DC motors, brushless motors, induction motors, stepper motors and the control strategies involved in each of them. This is where I really liked power electronics because of its wide scope and the challenges it poses to any engineer and where only a great engineer can show his skills. I realized that power electronics requires understanding several topics to truly excel. I entered two circuit design and debugging competitions and was a finalist each time, with each competition having at least 500 entrants. During my fourth semester, the topic Integrated Cir...... middle of document ......gh couple we could generate. I agree that my GPA would be considered low among my peers, which is why I took an online fundamentals course. of Power Electronics on Coursera, taught by Professor Robert Erickson, and the course awards a certificate with distinction to students who complete the course with the highest scores which I hope to receive by December 15, 2013. The courses Online, by their very nature, require people to be self-motivated because there is no professor or TA on your case nor are there any repercussions if you don't complete the course. I think this both demonstrates my ability to study independently, an asset for graduate school, and shows how motivated I am. In your department, I am particularly interested in the problems that professor xyz is working on. I think ABC could be a good way to move forward in this area. I would like to work with him on said problem.