STATEMENT OF PURPOSE Since I was a kid, I have always had the desire to create a need that surpasses the passive acquisition of knowledge. In a global village where everything from phones to cameras, lights to automobiles, is driven by computers, I have found it difficult not to get fascinated by the technology involved. As an undergraduate who was crazy about operations systems, I am interested in both artificial intelligence and systems. On the artificial intelligence facet, I am interested in evolutionary methods for developing intelligent behavior. On the systems side, I am most interested in distributed systems, and especially non-proprietary, dynamically connected systems. My interest in multi-agent systems ties the areas of AI and systems together. I am particularly interested in the complex behavior that arises when systems of intelligent agents interact. Distributed multi-agent systems are interesting in their own right, but I am intrigued far more by the research challenge of developing multi-agent behavior using distributed computation. I completed four years of undergraduate study in the computer science honors program at Gombe State University, Nigeria and obtained a Bachelor’s degree, and I am currently employed as a Cyber Security Analyst at ABDAM Web & Computing Consultancy Limited. I have been working on automated response systems and advanced operations systems. The experience and exposure I have acquired have been the major motivation behind my application for a graduate study in Artificial Intelligence. I participated in a research project at Gombe State University where we were tasked with generating genetic algorithms for evolving neural networks to display on scoreboards. We delved and researched several network architectures and crossbreeding procedures, which landed us at developing a novel crossbreeding procedure for fixed-architecture networks. We also worked on an extra-curricular distributed systems research project since May of this year. I have developed an indexed, distributed file system that features fast, exhaustive searches, and modest networking requirements. As part of this project, I have investigated how node specialization can boost overall system performance above that which is achievable using a general peer-to-peer node model. My future aspirations and goals include researching and lecturing at a university that is focused on both education and research and I feel that a two-year Master’s Degree program in Artificial Intelligence at your university is perfect for my ambitions. This is because it allows for a flexible approach to study and will aid my growth as a professional which will in turn be of benefit to the school. I know that I will be able to contribute to ground-breaking research work in the areas of AI and systems at your university, and I also hope to make a remarkable influence on the AI world as a teacher. I will be very glad and honored if my application is granted. Best Regards. Abdulhamid Muhammad