Application for Doctoral Program Fall’02

Ujjwal Kumar Sinha

Department of Industrial Engineering PID 999769675
University of Pittsburgh

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
Born into a family in which academic excellence is of primal importance, I have consciously
developed, the three qualities that I believe are essential for research- motivation, patience and
persistence. I have always had a zeal for research and experimentation since a very young age, a
trait that burgeoned with my academic years. The sophistication of the modern world through
science and technology has always captivated my mind and led me to peruse on it. A broader
concept of science in my higher secondary education and a well honed mathematical dexterity
trailed me to the realization that engineering would allow me a career most satisfying and
rewarding.

During the course of my undergraduate studies, I have had several courses in Advanced
Mathematics, Industrial Economics and developed strong fundamentals in Operations
Research .The curriculum adopted at this university and my research experience have equipped
me with the necessary tools to undertake research in my fields of interest, namely
OPERATIONS RESEARCH and PRODUCTION SYSTEMS - group technology, scheduling,
production planning and control, computer integrated manufacturing. To satisfy my curiosity in
these topics I have been perusing journals and other technical literature like “Operations
Research”, “Mathematics of Operations Research”, “Mathematical Methods of Operations
Research” etc. regularly, which has helped me to keep abreast of latest developments and trends.

Since the beginning of undergraduate studies, I have been involved in various research works in
diverse fields. My first foray in the field of Industrial Engineering was through the presentation
of a technical paper titled “Recent Advances towards Increasing Flexibility of Flexible
Manufacturing Systems (FMS)” in IMPULSE-99 (National level Technical Festival at University
of Roorkee). Furthermore, after my 3 rd year I did my 6-week industrial training in Bokaro Steel
Plant (India's largest and one of the world's largest steel producers) where I was able to learn
how to apply various Network and Transportation models and gained significant experience
involving the use of CPM and PERT networks. Also, I had a chance to work in the Production
Planning and Control Dept. which dealt with Optimization of Raw Material Flow and Man Power,
Inventory Management Techniques and also in the Industrial Engg Dept. which used Statistical
Control Charts for Quality Maintenance.

Not limited to these formal fields of activity, I find it immensely stimulating to devise my own
software solutions to various day-to-day problems just as an avocation. I have developed various
software programs in C/C++ which were widely appreciated in technical fests around the
country. Notable amongst them are a) Software Program for various models like E.O.Q.
(Economic Order Quantity) and E.P.Q. (Economic Production Quantity) using C++ language b)
Software for Nesting of Sheet Metal Parts using Heuristic Algorithm, and c) Software for
Testing of Structures for Fatigue Failure.
Application for Doctoral Program Fall’02 Ujjwal Kumar Sinha

In academics, I have strived to achieve the highest standards. In class, my rank is 2nd out of 43
students, all of whom have been selected through a nationwide examination. I have been a
recipient of the University Merit Scholarship with Full Tuition Waiver given to only top 10%
throughout my course of study at the University of Roorkee(currently, Indian Institute of
Technology Roorkee.)

Having worked on various projects under the guidance of the faculty and in the industry, I feel
fully convinced about my aptitude for undertaking research at the Graduate level. My ultimate
degree aim is a Ph.D. and as a long-term goal, I aspire to engage myself in teaching & research as
a professor at a leading center of excellence.

The Ohio State University has one of the strongest programs in the field of Industrial
Engineering esp. in the field of Operations Research and has a faculty renowned for its technical
excellence. I would be very fortunate to work under the guidance of such distinguished faculty as
Prof Marc E. Posner, besides others. It would be a great honor to be a part of such a stimulating
environment and to be able to contribute to the ongoing research at the university. I am
confident that graduate studies at your esteemed institute will provide me with a well rounded,
and rewarding educational experience.

(Ujjwal Kumar Sinha)