Statement #1
Please provide a statement outlining your immediate educational and long-range career objectives in
relation to your chosen field. If there is a particular faculty member with whom you wish to study,
please give that person's name and explain why you want to study with that person. You may also
wish to include other information, such as any undergraduate research experience, internships, or
other experiences you may have had to document your preparation for advanced study in your
chosen field.
Statement #2
Enrolling and graduating a diverse student body is central to the University of Minnesota's mission.
Please write a statement that identifies the distinctive qualities, characteristics, and life experiences
you would contribute to your graduate program and to the education of fellow students at the
University of Minnesota. You may wish to include examples that address your contribution to the
diversity of the student body and illustrate your motivation to succeed by setting high standards for
accomplishing intellectual and other goals, overcoming obstacles to achievement, and/or helping
others to gain access to the resources necessary for success.
(please do not exceed one page in length unless your program has provided separate instructions)
Extenuating Circumstances
If your grades and/or test scores are not strong, and you would like to provide an explanation, please
do so. (limit 1200 characters)
Statement 1:
For most people of my generation, transformers are all the boys’ idols, I am no exception. After
just immersing in models of transformers like bumblebee or jazz, gradually I began to pay more
attention on real cars. Although just knowing a few car brands at that time, I getting interested in
collecting car pictures and tags, and they made me felt joyful and excited. Finally, that drove to
choose Mechanical Engineering as my ideal major. After all, time proves that my choice is quite
right.
At college, I took an active part in each activity to improve myself. In my sophomore year, a
chance caught my eyes, and I seized the opportunity to join in BOSCH 2011 Electric Drill Vehicle
Competition. To accomplish the competition we needed to manufacture a 4-wheel-vehicle driven
by only 4 drills and we should ensure a specific track with it. It’s the first time for me to involve a
real car competition. The key of the competition was how to transform the power of the drills
into the energy of the car, my idea was to rank the 4 drills in a line, use the chain to aggregate the
torque, and then supply power for the whole vehicle. To realize this assumption, I organized a
4-team-member group, assigned every one’s task and taking several dynamic and static tests to
ensure the system of the drills could supply the maximal power. After confirming the location of
the drills in the transmission system through a lot of experiments and changing the chain’s type
in order to improve the transmission efficiency, we won the winning prize of the China in the end.
It’s fortunate for me to have such unique memories. Owing to the experience a strong willing
grew in my deep heart, I intend to expand my vision and continue to work in the mechanical
engineering, particularly the vehicle engineering as my life career.
After the competition of BOSCH, a crazy thought grew in my mind, “How about a Formula car?”
The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step, my teammates and I began to establish
a racing car team to attend 2012’s Formula SAE which is the most well-known formula car race
for college students all over the world.
As a co-founder, I acted as the leader of the chassis group. During the design process, I helped the
team finish the design of steering system including the mold of the steering wheel. In the steering
system, I studied all the basic knowledge independently; in the stage I learned how the top
college racing-car teams made the design such as KIT and Stuttgart by contacting leaders of their
team directly. Additionally, learning the relevant methods and theories, I made studies on the
mechanical design software, such as CATIA, ADAMS and MATLAB, in a short time. We applied the
MATLAB into the analysis of the steering linkage, and then confirmed 20 % of the Ackerman,
finished the physical dimension of the steering system finally.
Besides the designing step, manufacture is another issue. To use carbon fiber as the material, we
needed to use Core & Cavity and the Generative Sheet metal Design platform in CATIA to devise
the steering wheel system. Because of little experience in these platforms, everything has to start
from fumble and imagination. As a result, although I tried my best to consider all the possibilities
in the manufacturing process as I can, there were still a few details be neglected. The molds I
designed had some defect hindering the carbon fiber pavement and in order to finish layering
before the solidification of the resin we made the surface roughly. It couldn’t be repaired even I
embellished the steering wheel a few times after the solidification. The manufacture of the auto
body had the same question. This taught me a harsh lesson, a good designer should consider
about all the process in the manufacture as well as the craft, which is the primary ability of an
engineer. Apart from my duties and responsibilities, the practice in the racing-car team is terrific,
but I still enjoy in helping making the car body, learning the craft of the monocoque, grinding
work pieces and assembling the components. That was such impressive experience in my college
years.
In 2012 FSAE China, the Stuttgart’s electric car exceeded all the Chinese team in the dynamic part
of the race, which made me realize that Chinese vehicle industry was backward relative to the
advanced countries. In the western, even undergraduate students can develop efficient electric
car’s dynamical system. And I am also eager for achieving more professional ability. That’s the
main reason why I would like to study abroad in USA. It may let me have the capability of
improving our racing car’s dynamic performance, and after knowing well about the principle of
the gas car, my long-term goal is try designing electric car’s control system. Thus I want to further
my study where technologies in the dynamics systems & controls and design are more mature.
Besides chasing the dream of speed, I never give up promoting myself. This semester I catch the
only opportunity of my major to go to Purdue University for graduation project from February to
June 2013. Using this precious time, I can improve my professional quality by attending the
course such as Automatic Control System, Vehicle Design and Engineering Design. After the study
of these classes, I would strength my specialized knowledge in the design and control system and
would be easier to further my graduate course.
For the reasons above, I believe there is nowhere better to pursue my master’s degree in
Mechanical Engineering than University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. The Department of
Mechanical Engineering has a great reputation for its advanced engineering technologies and
quality of instruction. I could get a deeper cognition about the dynamical system for there are so
many professors whose research field is system design and mechatronics. The laboratories that I
am most interested in are the Automotive Propulsion Control Laboratory and the Intelligent
Vehicles Laboratory. As I said before, vehicle is my interest even my dream, these two laboratory
have renowned professors in the vehicle field like Professor Zongxuan Sun. If I could work with
Prof. Sun, I would get more information about the cutting-edge technologies in this field and be
clearer how to deal with an electric car’s dynamical and control system. I saw the researches in
his lab, the project doing by the graduate student such as Camless Engine and Free Piston Engine
attracts me a lot, I would be lucky if I can study the principle and do relative project by myself
such as the integration of the engine and transmission system. Furthermore, the Department of
Mechanical Engineering has great hardware and equipment for graduate enrolling in
independent study, I could be fortunate to design and experiment by myself as a graduate
student, that’s will be helpful to my ambition. I would regard my admission to University of
Minnesota, Twin Cities not only as a great honor but also my best choice.
Statement 2:
With 2 hours on the air and 6 hours by bus, a strange little village was finally in my view. It is a
famous mountain village in the west of Hunan Province called Fenghuang, which means phoenix
in English. I still remember the moment I saw this serene village, peace and inspiration raised in
my mind. Travelling solo is always my best way to relax myself. This hobby makes me not only
prefer communication with backpackers like myself but also remain time for me to keep alone
and introspection. I am keen on seeing completely different scene. It means a different kind of
life for me.
This habit eventually made me became a guy who is responsible and helpful. In the college, I
enrolled in Students Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurial Association of School of
Mechanical Engineering as a freshman. It is a student society focus on popularization of science
and student’s innovation. At that time I went to the community near our university every
weekend to popularize scientific knowledge to the aged and children. I enjoyed the day we kept
together and shared little knack of life. I always listen their problem attentively explained the
question they ask patiently. When the community finally nominated me as the outstanding
volunteer of the association, I felt warm and honored. Helping others always makes me feel
happy and full of accomplishment.
Another story I want to share with you is, in the sophomore year, I was responsible for the BOSCH
Club’s establishment in Shanghai Jiao Tong University. And it is a unique experience because it is
the first time for me to organize and manage a student society and it is a precious opportunity to
contact with people in the company. I can’t forget the first time I visited BOSCH China’s
headquarters and discussed with their HR director about the details of the Club’s development.
After returning the college, I prepared all the work for the establishment from publicity to
interview and through help of my friends and classmates, the Club owned 60 members coming
from different majors at last.
Besides obliging and independence, I am always full of ideas and ambition. When our FSAE
Racing Team established at the first time, actually we had no reference and experience to design
our own car, but we all had the same ideal, to manufacture the fastest and lightest FSAE racing
car in China. For this target, we choose the most radical and advanced car’s collocation, the
whole carbon fiber monocoque, 10 inches rims and single cylinder engine for scrambling
motorcycle (2012’s YAMAHA WR450F). That’s the majority of world’s best racing car team such as
UMich and KIT’s choice. Although to realize the plan we worked for several times more than
those cars with ordinary frames, at last our car just weighted 180kg with full fuel and water
without the driver. For a one year racing car team, it is nearly a miracle.
Through these stories, you can see a boy with love, responsibility and aspiration. But that’s not all
about me. I have studied clarinet for many years and I love literature and history. I also interested
in French study. Want to have a better learning of me? I would be pleasant to communicate with
you in the campus of University of Minnesota as a graduate student.
Extenuating Circumstances
If your grades and/or test scores are not strong, and you would like to provide an explanation, please
do so. (limit 1200 characters)
When I am just enrolled in the university, I am confused about my career goal. At that time I just
thought I would go to work after graduation. So in the first two year of my college life, I spent a
lot of time in student’s activities because that practiced my social skill, communication skill,
organization and management abilities. Then in my second semester of the sophomore year, I
connected with racing car at the first time. It was a transition for me. After that experience I knew
I can turn my interest into my career. Since then, although my major is Building Environment and
Equipment Engineering, In SJTU Racing Car Team, I engaged a large amount of time to study
related knowledge about vehicle engineering. I never stopped review the core courses such as
Mechanics of Materials and Design and Manufacture during the design. Also during the 2012
FSAE China, I realized that I was not solid in the professional field. So I prepared GRE test for
studying abroad. But that time was just our car’s crucial moments of manufacturing. Those days I
need go to the factory in the countryside and come back every night. For this reason, my GRE
score may be a little worse.