Motivation Letter for PhD position

Hi everyone,

I am currently applying for a PhD position overseas. As I am not a native English speaker, I really hope you could spare some time to help me with my motivation letter.

Any comment is welcome, thanks in advance.

Dear Professor xxx,

I am writing to apply for PhD position in your group at University of xxx.

During my undergraduate study, I earned an internship chance to assist experimental activities in xxx Laboratory at xxx. And that is when and where I was fascinated with the plasma and acquired advanced skills and techniques for plasma experiments, especially those related to plasma diagnostics. At the same time, I had an opportunity to participate in a project about designing an electron beam generator. For me, this experience was personally and professionally awarding because, by conducting normal laboratory activities, I became more confident and proficient in solving problems independently.

With the interest in plasma application, I chose to further my study for master degree in xxx lab. Last year, I was selected to study Plasma Physics in Space Environment & Plasma Department and gained a top grade of the class. This exchange experience gave me a deeper appreciation of different perspectives in plasma as I had the chance to communicate with various plasma theorists. And it also led me to become more interested in theoretical topic. So my thesis work is Theoretical and Experimental Research on Low-power Plasma Thruster.

Later, I was assigned to lead a 3 people group to complete the whole thruster system for a micro-satellite mission. The barrier of scaling it to a small size was overcome by breaking traditional frames and this innovative design could fully meet the mission requirement. With curiosity of the unusual mechanism inside the thruster, I used numerical methods, including PIC and MCC, to model physics problems. As a result, a paper about how to simulate electron anomalous transport more accurately was submitted for review, which is listed in my CV. The combination of experimental and theoretical work has sharpened my critical thinking and analysis as well as strengthened my abilities in cooperation and leadership.

However, after series of erosion and performance tests on the thruster, my interests now focus on the interaction between materials and plasma and the discharge process, as no complete theory has been developed yet on these topics. And I am even more enthusiastic to investigate a nearly unknown subject since it is significant to understand the fundamentals of plasma applications like plasma-skin healing, CO­₂ conversion and ion beam etching. For these reasons, I want to continue my studies in your Lab, for its good reputation in topics that ignite my curiosity the most.

Considering my record of high academic achievement and strong interest in plasma research, I am certain that, if given the opportunity, I will enjoy working on your research project. In addition, because this subject is a personal passion, I will do my best to exceed your expectations. Besides my academic qualifications, I am confident that my engineering background and interdisciplinary education will bring more diversity to your program.

Thank you for looking over my application and enclosed documents, and I look forward to being in touch with you.

Yours sincerely,

Jean