Vikram Thapar Field of Interest: Nanotechnology

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

My objective for graduate studies is to have the highest qualification in Chemical Engineering from a
renowned institution. I have nurtured a strong passion for becoming a scientist and pursuing research. In
the pursuit of knowledge, I have always adopted a rigorous approach in order to attain an in-depth
understanding of the subject at hand. I believe that I possess the motivation, intellectual ability and
preparation to set out on this exhilarating and arduous path and to make significant original contributions
in the field of Chemical Engineering. Having explored various areas in Chemical Engineering during my
undergraduate years, I feel that Nanoparticles is my preferred area of research. PhD at Cornell University
will be the first concrete step towards my goal of pursuing research career in that field.

Right from my childhood, my inquisitive nature and a strong desire to ingrain the fundamental principles
enabled me to excel in academics at every stage of my education. I consistently secured one of the top
positions in my class throughout my education and was awarded with a Gold Medal for being district
topper in CBSE All‐India Secondary School Examination. This not only motivated me to aspire for the
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), one of the best engineering colleges in India, but also has given me
the confidence that I have the dexterity to be in the top notch even amongst the best. My passion for
academics provided me with the fruitful results. Selection for the undergraduate program in the IIT
Bombay, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) merit scholarship for my outstanding
performance in All India Engineering Entrance Exam (AIEEE) and Certificate of Appreciation from the
Government of India are the list of scholastic achievements that clearly demonstrate my diligence and
dedication for studies.

My exposure to Chemical Engineering began after I entered the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT),
Bombay. My thirst to acquire knowledge and to learn encouraged me to attend seminars and lectures,
which helped me to explore the various fields in the Department. In my third year, I presented a home
paper titled “Kinetic modeling of Wood Pulp” under the guidance of Prof. Sharad Bhartiya and it was
regarded as one of the best in class. I did my summer training in Reliance Industries Ltd, a fortune-500
company, where I came across a challenging problem of “High fouling resistance in reboiler section of
Distillation column”. It was a great learning experience for me where I developed creative thinking
through brainstorming. I proposed new cost effective technique and designed reboiler using HTRI to
reduce the effect of fouling. My work was highly valued and I got the Pre Placement offer. In the final
stages of undergraduate days, extolment from my examiners for my unparalleled and novel work in
engineering design project further strengthened my belief of pursuing research.

After exploring the various areas in last 2 years of my graduation, I was still not sure about which field I
should choose for further studies. Keeping long term goal in my mind, I took tough decision to decline
the pre placement offer and opt for the position of Research Assistant (RA). An exciting course on
crystallization and a series of lectures by Prof. K.C. Khilar on the industrial applications and scope of
research in the field of Nanotechnology kindled my interest in the topic. In the start, I felt downhearted as
I was unable to get the RA position under the Professor who was working in the field of Nantechnology.
But, my love for research and inspiration from my idol Swami Vivekananda gave me the strength to fight
these backslidings. This strong feeling of "Never to Give Up" had provided me the RA position in the
field of my interest.

My first tryst with Nanoparticles happened under the guidance of Prof. K.C. Khilar, who gave me great
latitude in choosing my own research topic. I spent about two months on literature survey and came up
with the topic of Nanoparticles in Photovoltaics. I then realized that research was not just about problem
solving, but also problem identification and formulation. Intrinsic n-type ZnO semiconductor which has
versatile applications in Photovoltaics was synthesized using microemulsion technique and pH effect on
morphology was carried out in detail. Unique and novel structures like needles, spheres etc. were obtained
on changing the initial pH value of the solution. I proposed the morphological evolution model showing
the effect of pH on three dimensional growth of ZnO nanostructures. These five months were among the
best experiences of my life where I not only got to feel the real research life but also augmented my
patience and perseverance. A research paper based on this work is under review with Langmuir,
international journal.

To explore the simulation area in Nanotechnology field, I worked on the Monte Carlo simulations under
the guidance of Prof. Anurag Mehra and Prof. Rochish Thaokar. I developed an improved Monte Carlo
algorithm for the simulation of precipitation reaction in reverse micelles, which decreased the simulation
time by substantial amount. Algorithm was applied on the CdS nanoparticles and simulation results were
accurate and coherent with the experimental observations. Further, I worked on the silver nanostructures,
where I suggested a mechanism for the synthesis of Ag nanostructures prepared through microemulsion
method. I formulated the Monte Carlo code describing the mechanism and currently working on the Ag
nanostructures simulations. The intellectually rich discussions with my guides and their PhD students
widened my horizons and augmented my affinity to pursue research.

Through discussions with my professors, I realized that Cornell University can provide me opportunities
to perform cutting edge research. I do believe that I have what it takes to be a good researcher, and with
my passion, perseverance, sincerity, and thirst for knowledge, I shall make significant contributions to the
research at Cornell. It would be a great honor for me if you consider my application for PhD.