Motivation letter

This the first draft of my motivation letter.If someone could give some advice i would be glad to hear!:-)
Dear Sir/ Madam,
“If you start by promising what you don't even have yet, you'll lose your desire to work towards getting it.” -Paulo Coelho
“Everything Should Be Made as Simple as Possible, But Not Simpler”Albert Einstein----------------------------------------------------------
I am applying to your Fast-track PhD program held by the ------------------------------------------------------------; I believe my academic background and experience are well suited for the needs of this endeavour. This two quotes reflect firstly what I consider to be the right way to achieve goals in life, and secondly how research should be conducted.

As regards my education to date, I am about to receive an academic multi-faceted four year Degree in Biology from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH). I expect to formally graduate June 2014 with an anticipated average score above 85 percent . My first exposure to neuroscience came early during the first four semesters of compulsory courses, with both practical and theoretical approach to subjects such as:zoology of invertebrates and vertebrates, physiology of animals, biochemistry and molecular biology.The elective and compulsory courses combined( the undergraduate study program) helped me gain multi factional knowledge and the tools to a) comprehend the evolution of life and its complexity b) understand in depth how a stimuli is processed in a organism and then is translated into action.

What I think has defined my academic course so far is the experience of conducting my dissertation thesis and practical internship at the ------------------------------------------------------------ in Athens, Greece. It was an unusual decision not to choose a lab from my school but I think that this decision points out a crucial aspect of my character . I wanted to get involved in the field of neuroscience at one of the best neuroscientific labs in my country as soon as possible,considering the fact that I did not have that option somewhere near my hometown. I had the good fortune to be recruited, with the help of my Professor Dr.---------, to the lab of cellular and developmental biology with ------------ as a Principle investigator. For one year I acquired a degree of expertise in the field of behavioural neurobiology and proteomics, with the guidance and help of brilliant scientists from around the world. It is an example of the tenacity that characterizes me, choosing the right pathways to fulfill my goals and keeping working despite the difficulties.

Working hard and sticking to a goal it is not a simplistic way of describing some of the prerequisites of research. I find the ability to be persistent a valuable allay in times that stressful situations trigger, and also the ability to act in a structured way. From the first time of my dissertation thesis I had to cope with immense stress as the project I had been assigned was highly demanding regarding my level, and a set of unpredicted problems came up. Despite that I managed to solve a series of problems, learn step by step the experimental procedure and finally contribute to the lab in terms of time efficiency. Working from an early age as a waiter taught me from a different point of view how important is to be efficient, organized, and capable to work and communicate in a stressful enviroment in order to be productive in a thriving enterprise.

?Complementing my strong academic performance are my advanced skills in leadership and communication. In every lab course of my school we work in groups with other students and usually we held out tasks that require coaction of distinct people. In several of the projects during my studies, I was the team leader responsible for building and leading our project team. Playing the role of the coordinator and most of the times having to set the boundaries and the guidelines of our actions , what I find of great importance is my efficiency in communicating by ameliorating the friction between colleagues. During the one year of my dissertation thesis I accomplished to formalize a fruitful dialogue and a prosperous ongoing relationship that contributed to my success. My working experience outside the academic circle allowed a gradual development of communication skills, as a consequence I am capable of cooperating efficiently no matter what the working enviroment may be.

I also find myself capable when organizing things and managing to reach certain goals. In fact it is one of the most important characteristic I could point out as it can be found in every aspect of my life. As far as my academic performance is concerned I think organizing my time was of the utmost importance especially within a project during my dissertation thesis. Because of the specificity of the project I would need approximately two months in order to execute one experiment. In parallel other tasks were under my supervision and I managed not only to maintain a regular pace at my experimental work, but also not to neglect my student obligations despite the one year physical absence from the University. Finally, during my previous job I made significant changes in the way the staff was organised and the way in which their tasks were ordered, as a result we succeed in maximizing the efficiency of customer service.

“If various mental processes can be localized, what rules relate the anatomy and physiology of a region to its specific function? Can these rules be understood better by examining the regions as whole or by studying its individual nerve cells?”-Essentials of neural science & Behavior. From my perspective the answer to a variety of questions concerning how our brain works in general can emerge from a multifaceted approach to brain research. I want to study at ------------ University because of the professionalism that your educational system exudes, your excellent facilities and your ground-breaking research achievements. The opportunity to enroll at your Fast track PhD program will provide me with the opportunity to fulfill my ambitions of getting a deeper insight and clearer understanding of how we perceive reality. A clearer perception of our complex brain I am sure will aid to a more personalized treatment of a series of brain-disorders too. Especially it is clear that the systemic way that you choose of pursuing truth, gives the
opportunity to students, select from a wide range of reasearch fields and push a step farther the boundaries of the current perception.

Given my past history of commitment to high goals, I am confident that I will be able to bring a high level of energy and enthusiasm to your program. I endeavor to exceed your expectations, implementing both my academic and interpersonal skills, as well as the experience gained from my internship. I aim enrich the program by enabling fellow students and professors to benefit from my ambitious and open nature. Furthermore, with my interdisciplinary education and multifarious character I hope to add to diversity to your program.
Thank you for considering my application, and I look forward to hearing from you.
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Yours faithfully, Konstantinos Koukoutselos