Motivation letter to University of Duisburg-Essen

Dear Professor H,


With this letter, I am expressing my interest in studying for the Master of Science in Electronic Engineering specializing in Embedded Systems from the prestigious University of Duisburg-Essen.


I have a Bachelors of Electrical Engineering degree from the U in XX (2005), where I learnt core electrical subjects such as electric machines, power electronics, electric circuits, field electromagnetics, as well as electronics subjects including digital design, C programming and microprocessors. I am also currently enrolled in a Masters of Science (M.Sc.) in M at the U, where I took subjects in analog circuit design, embedded systems and signal integrity.


When I was in my bachelor's, I found the concepts of Fields and Waves, Device physics, common-gate/emitter/collector (and then common-source/drain/gate) configurations, operational and operational transconductance amplifiers alien. This experience was different from my bachelor's in Calculus, where I accepted the abstractness of partial differential equations and solving Bessel's/Cauchy's equations. It was compounded by not knowing the right answers to all the exercises I had done in my electronics subjects, as I did not have the instructor's manual and answers. I feel I have been fooling myself into thinking I understand a subject, which is a dangerous condition for both my academic and career life. I was still dissatisfied with my Masters of Science course, hence I am enrolling again to your school. I am positive I will gain hands-on experience, do a lot of practical work, have access to state-of-the-art resources such as CAD licenses and high-technology laboratories, and get the right answer. Every point there is very important to me. In Math tutorials, despite it being as hard as Engineering subjects, the answers and hours of practice always reinforce students with the concepts they try to teach.


In my previous 2-semester Masters, which had a 70% research composition, I was required to propose and produce my own research dissertation. I worked on an engineering problem in my company, and searched available literature for a solution that I didn't know would come in what shape. Eventually, after entering many blind alleys, I finally found a solution, and sent an invitation to the author of the paper I was interested to implement. I was very fortunate that the author was happy to collaborate with me. The resulting solution I found was feasible but, to me, incomplete as a fully implementable solution (due solely on my part to my misjudgement of how large the project was, and that I worked on the CAD flow alone). I found this research both enlightening yet frightening, so I still prefer the breadth and regularity of taught-courses.


In my career, I have delved into silicon characterization and pre-silicon verification. I enjoy debugging and proposing solutions. I have spent many long hours into the wee hours of dawn collecting results in a lab, analyzing them and recollecting them. When I did simulation verification, I did the same. I like delving into latest techniques for verification, hence I learnt SystemVerilog on my own, and started to read UVM methodologies, transaction-based modeling, functional prototyping and assertions-based design. I want to explore integrated circuit (IC) design next, and build an embedded system based on a protocol, either optical-, communications- or network-based. When I write scripts in Perl, I also look at finding the neatest and advanced technique of doing what I need. This takes longer for me to complete my task, but it makes me learn something different.


My interest to study Embedded Systems is buoyed by two reasons – One, to gain expertise particularly in VHDL digital design, and Two, to work with my husband providing training and design services, who is also applying to enrol in your school with me. I hope to become an accomplished IC Design frontend or backend engineer, able to solve CAD problems and deliver high-performance or low-power solutions.


I am determined to excel within the German engineering educational system, which I know will be tough for foreigners who are not accustomed to the German learning syllabus. My aptitude is in verification and debug, and on semiconductor technology, SoC design and microelectronics. I hope to learn and use design, layout and wafer fabrication tools. I hope that you will consider my application favourably.


Yours faithfully,