Excited by the idea of becoming a scientist since I was a small child, my interests in pursuing graduate studies intensified during my undergraduate education and my research experience. Rather than discouraging me with the tremendous amount of work and demands for creativity, my college years motivated me to earn a Ph.D. and to continue pursuing a career as a research scientist. Although my exact research goals have yet to be refined, my interests include studying the genetic basis of disease and the genetic mechanisms that govern various cellular processes, such as the cell cycle, apoptosis, and tumor formation.

Although I entered college without a clear research direction, the Biotechnology Program at Rochester Institute of Technology helped develop my interest in the field of Genetics. I found much of my laboratory training at RIT to be extremely rewarding. For example, one experience that early on convinced me to seriously consider genetics was a project involving the construction and characterization of a recombinant plasmid. Since I worked independently for the most part, the project played a key role in increasing my confidence and helping me to understand various concepts pertaining to genetic analysis. It was this experience that motivated me to seek a position as a teacher’s assistant for a course in Microbial and Viral Genetics. As a TA, I learned how demanding the teaching situation is and how much teaching a course can contribute to my own learning.

By this time, after discovering my passion for research and the joy of teaching, I began to seriously contemplate graduate schools. To excel in graduate school, I decided I would not limit my experience to my formal education at RIT. Instead, I wanted the opportunity to explore my career options to make a well-informed decision as to the area of my future research. With these goals in mind, I chose to take advantage of RIT’ s Cooperative Education Program, which meant earning my Bachelor’ s degree in five years instead of four. In December of 1997,Astra Arcus USA Pharmaceuticals hired me as a research assistant in the Electrophysiology department.
At Astra, I learned research techniques not taught by RIT. For the past year, I have been working with a subset of neuronal glutamate receptors via voltage clamping on Xenopus oocytes. The research of our lab is geared toward the study of central nervous system diseases. Working with Astra and earning an education in biotechnology from RIT sparked my interest in learning more about the genetic basis of disease.

On a personal level, I’ve gained quite a bit from my cooperative experience. Confident in my ability to adapt to new environments and learn techniques that I have never encountered, I have also learned a great deal about the nature of private-sector research and the lifestyle of the researchers. Familiar with the amount of dedication and hard work essential to project advancement, I am more focused on my goal of becoming an excellent researcher than I ever have been. No stranger to the frustration and disappointment inherent in research work, I am spurred on by the thrill of discovery. I find a great deal of enjoyment working in research and plan to stay at Astra through the summer of 2005.

I feel that my course work as a Biotechnology major at RIT and my research experience at Astra have adequately prepared me for graduate study. Eager to continue my education and improve upon my weaknesses, I am particularly interested in becoming more familiar with emerging technologies relating to genetics and in gaining more exposure in working with eukaryotic genomes. Most importantly, I want to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to design and perform research according to my interests in genetics and disease.

With these broad interests and specific goals, I am very attracted to the Graduate Program in Genetics at Duke University. With great flexibility in choosing a degree, the program would suit me well. At Duke, I would welcome the opportunity to explore my interests in Cell Biology, Neurobiology, Pharmacology, and Cancer Biology. I am also interested in learning more about possible involvement with the Duke Center for Human Genetics. My motivation to succeed is reflected in both my academic standing and my dedication to research. I feel that these attributes, combined with a profound interest in the Biological Sciences, will ensure me success as a graduate student at Duke University.

點(diǎn)評(píng)：

這是一篇生物專業(yè)的PS，文章開門見山，表達(dá)清晰，結(jié)構(gòu)明了。是一篇比較好的文書。

首先從結(jié)構(gòu)上可以把文章分為四部分：

一．表明自己的學(xué)習(xí)目的和研究方向

二．在羅切斯特技術(shù)學(xué)院的學(xué)習(xí)經(jīng)歷

三．在Astra制藥公司的研究經(jīng)歷

四．基于過(guò)往經(jīng)歷，得出自己感興趣的研究方向和職業(yè)目標(biāo)

從內(nèi)容上來(lái)說(shuō)，作者采取的是層層深入的方式。先是孩童時(shí)代的夢(mèng)想激發(fā)自己在大學(xué)就讀期間要繼續(xù)研究生階段的學(xué)習(xí)。然后就是大學(xué)期間在羅切斯特技術(shù)學(xué)院的學(xué)習(xí)和研究工作。雖然這個(gè)階段還沒(méi)有明確的研究方向，但是作者的研究之路是朝著自己感興趣的方向發(fā)展的。作者也一步步地明確了自己研究的方向是遺傳學(xué)。明確目標(biāo)之后，作者就開始有針對(duì)性地通過(guò)在Astra制藥公司的實(shí)習(xí)增加自己在遺傳學(xué)方面的研究經(jīng)驗(yàn)。終于，通過(guò)了大學(xué)的學(xué)習(xí)和公司的實(shí)習(xí)，作者明確的感到自己對(duì)于研究生階段教育的需求，在文章的結(jié)尾表達(dá)了想進(jìn)入杜克大學(xué)的遺傳學(xué)課程的意愿。

整篇文章一氣呵成，通過(guò)具體的事例來(lái)證明自己的學(xué)習(xí)目的和需要。文分樸實(shí)，符合理工科申請(qǐng)的風(fēng)格。但是文章也是有一定的缺點(diǎn)，就是所舉事例不是很specific，有點(diǎn)籠統(tǒng)，沒(méi)把研究中出現(xiàn)的問(wèn)題具體描述一下。但是總體來(lái)說(shuō)還是一篇比較好的PS。

翻譯：

在孩童時(shí)期要成為科學(xué)家的夢(mèng)想的激勵(lì)下，我在本科學(xué)習(xí)及研究階段對(duì)于繼續(xù)研究生學(xué)習(xí)的愿望越來(lái)越強(qiáng)烈。大量的工作和對(duì)于創(chuàng)造力的需要并沒(méi)有使我退縮，反而激發(fā)了我要去獲取博士學(xué)位并以科學(xué)家作為職業(yè)。雖然我確切的研究方向還有待精確，但是我的興趣包括研究疾病的遺傳原理，以及支配著諸如細(xì)胞循環(huán)，細(xì)胞凋亡和瘤形成等不同細(xì)胞進(jìn)程的遺傳機(jī)能。

雖然我進(jìn)入大學(xué)之時(shí)沒(méi)有一個(gè)清晰的研究方向，但是羅切斯特技術(shù)學(xué)院的生物技術(shù)課程幫助我培養(yǎng)了在遺傳學(xué)領(lǐng)域的興趣。我發(fā)現(xiàn)自己的實(shí)驗(yàn)室經(jīng)驗(yàn)讓我受益匪淺。例如，早期的一次經(jīng)驗(yàn)讓我去深刻認(rèn)識(shí)到遺傳學(xué)是一個(gè)包括重組質(zhì)粒的組建和構(gòu)造的工程。自從我可以獨(dú)立完成大部分工作之后，這個(gè)工程在增加我的自信心和幫助我理解關(guān)于遺傳分析的多種概念方面起了舉足輕重的作用。正是這次經(jīng)驗(yàn)促使我去擔(dān)任微生物和病毒遺傳學(xué)課程的助教。作為一個(gè)助教，我認(rèn)識(shí)到教師工作的要求是如何的高以及教授一門課程對(duì)于我自己的學(xué)習(xí)幫助是如何的大。

在發(fā)現(xiàn)我對(duì)于研究的熱情和教學(xué)的樂(lè)趣之后，我開始認(rèn)真考慮研究生院。為了能夠在研究生院勝人一籌，我決定去增加除了羅切斯特技術(shù)學(xué)院正式學(xué)習(xí)之外的經(jīng)驗(yàn)。因此我要尋找一個(gè)機(jī)會(huì)去拓展自己的職業(yè)之路，使自己在未來(lái)研究領(lǐng)域博聞多識(shí)。腦海中的這些念頭使得我決定去好好利用羅切斯特技術(shù)學(xué)院的合作教育項(xiàng)目。這個(gè)項(xiàng)目意味著我拿到學(xué)士學(xué)位需要5年而不是4年。1997年12月美國(guó)Astra Arcus制藥公司聘請(qǐng)我為電生理學(xué)部門的研究助手。

在發(fā)現(xiàn)我對(duì)于研究的熱情和教學(xué)的樂(lè)趣之后，我開始認(rèn)真考慮研究生院。為了能夠在研究生院勝人一籌，我決定去增加除了羅切斯特技術(shù)學(xué)院正式學(xué)習(xí)之外的經(jīng)驗(yàn)。因此我要尋找一個(gè)機(jī)會(huì)去拓展自己的職業(yè)道路，使自己在未來(lái)研究領(lǐng)域博聞多識(shí)。腦海中的這些念頭使得我決定去好好利用羅切斯特技術(shù)學(xué)院的合作教育項(xiàng)目。這個(gè)項(xiàng)目意味著我拿到學(xué)士學(xué)位需要5年而不是4年。1997年12月美國(guó)Astra Arcus制藥公司聘請(qǐng)我為電生理學(xué)部門的研究助手。

在Astra，我學(xué)到了在羅切斯特技術(shù)學(xué)院學(xué)不到的研究技術(shù)。過(guò)去的一年里，我一直在研究在蛙卵上神經(jīng)元谷氨酸受體的一個(gè)子集通過(guò)電壓箝位的現(xiàn)象。我們實(shí)驗(yàn)室的這項(xiàng)研究是為中樞神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)疾病的研究服務(wù)的。在Astra的工作與羅切斯特技術(shù)學(xué)院的學(xué)習(xí)激發(fā)我要更加深入學(xué)習(xí)遺傳疾病原理的興趣。

從個(gè)人層面上說(shuō)，我從合作的經(jīng)歷中學(xué)到不少東西。除了對(duì)于我適應(yīng)新環(huán)境和學(xué)習(xí)新技術(shù)的能力的自信，我還體會(huì)到私人研究的特性以及研究工作者的生活方式。我熟悉對(duì)于一個(gè)項(xiàng)目前進(jìn)來(lái)說(shuō)很重要的是大量的付出和繁重的工作，我更加重視的是要成為一個(gè)優(yōu)秀的研究員的目標(biāo)。每個(gè)人在研究工作中都免不了挫折和失望，我是在發(fā)現(xiàn)的激勵(lì)下不斷進(jìn)步的。我在研究工作中得到了很大的樂(lè)趣并計(jì)劃在Astra度過(guò)2005年的夏天。

我感覺(jué)到在羅切斯特技術(shù)學(xué)院的生物技術(shù)課程以及Astra的工作經(jīng)驗(yàn)為我將來(lái)的研究生學(xué)習(xí)作了充分的準(zhǔn)備。我渴望去繼續(xù)我的學(xué)習(xí)生涯并提高自己，我特別想熟悉遺傳學(xué)的相關(guān)技術(shù)并且更多的接觸真核基因組。最為重要的是我想獲得跟我在遺傳學(xué)與疾病興趣相符的必備知識(shí)和技術(shù)去設(shè)計(jì)和完成研究。

基于廣泛的興趣和明確的目標(biāo)，我對(duì)于杜克大學(xué)的遺傳學(xué)研究生課程特別感興趣。由于其選擇學(xué)位的靈活性，我覺(jué)得這個(gè)課程很適合我。在杜克大學(xué)我將會(huì)有機(jī)會(huì)去擴(kuò)展在細(xì)胞生物學(xué)，神經(jīng)生物學(xué)，藥理學(xué)以及瘤生物學(xué)方面的興趣。我也有興趣學(xué)習(xí)更多與杜克人類基因?qū)W中心可能有關(guān)的知識(shí)。促使我不斷前進(jìn)的動(dòng)力來(lái)源于我的學(xué)術(shù)成績(jī)和研究上的付出。我相信這些因素加上我對(duì)于生物科學(xué)的濃厚興趣可以保證我作為杜克大學(xué)一個(gè)研究生取得成功。