STATEMENT OF PURPOSE – ODEDIYA BAMIDELE OLAWALE

MASTER’S IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

The telecommunications sector has undergone rapid and transformative changes over the past
few decades, and it continues to evolve at a remarkable pace. Advancements in technology,
changes in consumer behavior, and increasing global connectivity have driven the
telecommunication industry's transformation. Nigeria and other West African countries are
struggling to keep pace with the evolution in the field due to poor coverage of rural areas
caused by antenna limitations/poor planning and the insufficient number of indigenous high-
level manpower resources. This problem has affected the industry and users in many ways,
such as poor network coverage and quality of service, limited internet connectivity, and high
cost of data. Considering these problems, I hereby apply for a Ph.D. in Electrical and
Electronics Engineering with a focus on Communication Engineering.

My choice of Electrical/Electronic Engineering as a course of study was greeted with support

by my Father who then was working as a Switching Technologist for the Nigerian
Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) in Lagos. Therefore, he took me to the Engineering
and Technical Training Centre of NITEL where he conducted me around various training
departments such as power, switching, transmission, data communication, long distant and
satellite communication, billings and Mobile telecommunication, their equipment, and
infrastructures. He further exposed me to switching, his specialization, and explained the
rudiments of call interconnections for public switched telephone networks. This exposition
built up my passion for Telecommunication engineering and cemented my choice of
Electrical/Electronic Engineering.

When I gained admission to Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria,
my interest in Telecommunication Engineering manifested in my grade in the course
“Telecommunication Engineering” in which I made Distinction and other courses like Circuit
Theory and Electronics. After rounding up my two years National Diploma program in
Electrical and Electronic Engineering, I sought an internship position at the Telephone
exchange at Iperu Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria where I learnt and worked on installation and
terminations of telephone wire and customer terminals. After the completion of the one-year
internship, I proceeded to The Polytechnic Ibadan, Nigeria where I chose the
Electronic/Telecommunication option in the Department of Electrical Engineering for my
Higher National Diploma (HND), where I graduated with an Upper Credit in 2005. I also
made good grades in courses such as Telecommunication Engineering, Electronics, and
Control System Engineering. During this program, I participated in a class group project to
demonstrate the waveform of AM/FM Signals using oscilloscopes and signal generators and
study of the GSM Network architecture of MTN Nigeria (a mobile network operator). I and
my group underwent an excursion to the MTN office in Ibadan, where we met the technical
manager who explained the different network elements and frequency allocation to different
operators by the Nigerian Communication Commission. The desire to further broaden my
knowledge and enthusiasm for this field motivated me to pursue a Bachelor of Engineering
degree program at the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Nigeria where I graduated with Second
Class Upper Division 4.46/5.00 (89%) in 2023. I did lots of class projects which included the
generation and detection of AM/FM Signals waveform using oscilloscopes, TPS-3421/ PC
with Proteus software and signal generators, and MATLAB simulation of digital signals. My
passion for Telecommunication engineering manifested further, in the courses I took during
the program as I made Distinctions in Circuit Theory, Communication Engineering, Digital
Signal Processing, Communication Systems, Control Engineering, and Telecommunication
Engineering.

I have worked for twelve years in the Telecommunication industry as a Radio Frequency
Engineer (Radio Network Optimization and Planning Engineer) where I gained experience in
2G/3G/4G network drive-tests and walk-tests, coverage, and quality of service improvement
by antenna azimuths, height, and tilts adjustment, Key performance indicators improvements
by parameter optimizations and feature implementation; antenna propagation modeling using
CST/HFSS for in-building solutions, planning of new sites by coverage, quality, and
throughput predictions using Atoll; Frequency scanning using Anritsu Spectrum Analyser to
detect the source of interference; networks problems/degradation root cause analysis,
proffering solutions and achieving improvements and making the report for the network
operator. In the industry, I am always eager to use my skills and experience to nurture young
engineers to develop their skills

Following the completion of my Higher National Diploma, I participated in a one-year

voluntary National Youth Service where I got instilled tradition of industry at work and of
patriotic and loyal service to Nigeria and humanity. During this one year, I taught
Mathematics and Further Mathematics at Government Science Secondary School, Biliri,
Gombe State, Nigeria. As a result of tutorials I organized for the final year classes, the school
recorded a 20% increase in the number of students with Credit passes in Mathematics in June
2006 Senior School Certificate Examinations, compared to the previous five years. After the
completion of the one-year youth service, I gained valuable teaching experience in Senior
Secondary Schools, where I also held laboratory responsibilities. In these roles, I organized
tutorials and mentored final-year students on practical physics and how to write reports. This
helped many of the students in passing their Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations.

I have made good efforts to serve my community. Being a member and General Secretary of
the Daleko Community Development Association, a volunteering community program,
aimed at developing or improving our area and its residents by providing basic services such
as health care, education, and other forms of social development. I have helped the
association arrange meetings, seminars, and workshops, and implement the Government’s
public welfare campaign against insecurity, cholera, and other communicable diseases.

While meditating on my career goal, to be a top-level solution provider and to be part of the
growing indigenous high-level manpower resources for Nigeria in the telecommunication
industry, I recognized the need to deepen my understanding of the field and gain advanced
technical knowledge and skills , which will help me lead in research to develop antenna to
help improve rural coverage and quality of service and increase market penetration of
services. This will significantly enhance my expertise in optimizing and maintaining 2G, 3G,
and 4G networks, enabling me to tackle more complex challenges in the telecommunications
industry and be at par with my contemporaries anywhere in the world. This informed my
choice of a Master’s in Communication Engineering to add layers of higher-order knowledge
and skills that I have acquired already.

The United States, being the nest of technological innovations, happens to be the ideal
destination for pursuing progressive studies in any technological subject. The exposure that
Florida State University can offer is unparalleled. Besides, the cultural diversity of the
country and the State of Florida, studying in the United States will enhance further my global
perspective, significantly. For these reasons, I concluded that the United States would be the
best option for me.

To advance my knowledge, skills and capacity for research and novel contributions to
Telecommunication Engineering, I am applying to Florida State University to pursue a Ph.D.
in Electrical Engineering, majoring in Communication Engineering. I would consider
studying at Florida State University, a great privilege to avail opportune myself the excellent
facilities and I am confident that I will add value and make positive contributions to ongoing
research in the Laboratory of Electrical Engineering. I found Professor...... research on
Antenna systems and Wireless Communication of high interest and would be happy to work
with him. I also consider Professor ..... research in the area of Satellite Communication
interesting. The following Departmental courses: Wireless Communication, Microwave
Engineering, Digital Communication, and Antenna Engineering are a perfect fit for my areas
of interest.
Having taken the decision to embark on this journey to obtain a Ph.D., I am aware of the
implications of such a decision in terms of dedication, commitment, and resilience needed to
be successful, and I am prepared with a positive mindset, and technical skills required to
succeed. Therefore, I look forward to a favorable consideration and a mutually beneficial
relationship with Florida State University.

After my post-graduation course gets completed, I will return to Nigeria with the high-level
skills and expertise gained from this program to resume my professional life. I hope to
champion a new level of growth and development in Nigeria’s mobile communication
industry that would bring the quality of service to the optimal level, satisfying customers
yearning and improving businesses. Having worked in Nigeria’s telecom industry, I have a
good perception of the career possibilities in the Nigerian market, as there is a need for
indigenous high-level manpower.  With the added value of the course from your esteemed
university, I am confident that I will be able to secure good rewarding roles in leading
operators.