Advice on the statement of interest for your graduate application
  • Begin your application process by thinking about why you want to go to graduate school in your chosen field. Describe why you want to understand how various aspects of Earth are “the way they are” and how they got that way (i.e., chemical, physical, dynamical processes) and what you want to get out of your graduate school experience.
  • Articulate clearly why you are interested in graduate school in the UO ERTH department and more specifically why you are interested in working with particular professors and/or on a specific project. What excites you about research in general and this research in particular?
    • Describe your past experiences and/or future interests in the fields of math, physics, and seismology.
    • Geophysics is a computational field.  Describe your experiences/interests and/or coding skills in languages such as Unix, Python, Matlab, xml, etc. and how this relates to your career goals.
    • Relate your past experiences and expertise to your future goals in grad school at UO.
  • Describe the characteristics that demonstrate your potential as a scientist and researcher, these may include:
    •  life experiences that illustrate determination and drive and your ability to think creatively
    •  specific instances of successfully solving significant problems/challenges in the academic, professional, and/or personal spheres
    • examples of your ability to think and operate independently and to learn from mistakes or failures
    • extracurricular activities that speak to your personality and interests