Statement of Purpose

Name: Neela Krishna Teja Tadikonda Date of Birth: 18th August, 1991 It is not competition between individuals; it is competition between an individual and his imagination.

Everyone in the world will change into their better form, which is understood as progress. Such Evolving instigates from a special moment which spurs a process that creates a big difference, in the long term, on the choices we make. On such moment is when I came across the famous law by Gordon Moore in the opening class of Electronics Engineering, 2nd semester. Our Modern-day lifestyle is coupled with numerous omnipresent smart devices, devices like Digital Cameras, Smart Phones, Tablet PC's, Satellite Dish Box, Digital home appliances and even in cars, bikes, & other vehicles, leveraging Technology offered on VLSI and Embedded systems. It fascinates me on realising that we accomplished about an overwhelming count of 2 billion transistors integrated onto tiny chips, attempting to render high-quality services to users across the globe. This inspiration took me intensely into understanding the huge expertise I must gain on various fronts within the same field, which is possible through taking my education to the masters level. Being motivated by the belief that pursuing a Master Degree will not only provide me an insightful knowledge in this area, but will also help me in making meaningful contributions through research, I have made my decision to pursue a MS Degree in these fields. Driven by intuition and reasoning from childhood I was naturally grown bent towards sciences. My love for math got me outstanding rewards in the competitive tests I took at school level. I matriculated in 2006 with 92.83%, stood at second position in school and was offered a scholarship for next two years of education. Passed 12th standard with 96.9%, was one of the top 10% board toppers. The logical ability I inculcated through appetite for math supported my interest for pursuing engineering in top universities in India. In 2008 I qualified IIT-JEE with a rank of 4578 and got admission into one of the Indias prestigious institutions, Indian School Mines, Dhanbad. I have always had a fascination for electronics even from the beginning as a child. Any broken piece of electronic equipment from a toy or any appliance intrigued me, developed curiosity and a pile of unanswered questions. This motivation conducted me into choosing B.Tech Electronics Engg. program at ISM Dhanbad. The academic curriculum of B.Tech Electronics Engg. at ISM Dhanbad provided me with strong foundation for fundamentals in electronics engineering, which helped me in talking quick leap over the concepts while working on projects. Having propensity towards math, I was deeply surprised by the utilisation of mathematics in modelling the Physical systems, phenomena, properties, which significantly facilitated means when looking for optimisation of a practical problem. Being a student with consistent first class grades I was awarded with ISM MeritCum-Means Scholarship for all four consecutive years of study. I graduated college in first class with 76.4% aggregate, in 2012. Stimulated by the success through my design of a line follower autonomous robot in a robotics competition during my freshmen year I developed an intense passion for embedded systems. Relishing the theoretical knowledge offered in the 5th and 6th semesters through subjects Microprocessors, where I learned 8085 & 8086 and Microcontroller - 8051 I embarked on finding a real time practical experience. The project I worked on under Scientist Miss Meenakshi Aggarwal at Solid State Physics Laboratory, Defence Research and Development Organisation of India greatly helped me in bridging the gap between a college and industry. Through challenges I faced {such as resource utilisation, implementation level complexity at decision making in high end

microcontrollers,} while working on the project I learned to develop a broad mind, critical thinking, and team play. The next step in my endeavour, to reduce cost in terms of money incurred by these embedded systems, was fulfilled when I approached Mr. Mrinal Sen, Assistant Professor, ISM Dhanbad who has guided me into my final year project Design of Hardware and Its Supporting GUI for a Cost Optimised Led Based Versatile Display with pivot on cost optimisation and plug and play. Demanded by the objective the process of designing from scratch took a huge effort in terms of time, research and choice of components. The research carried on market amplified my maturity over decision making. I learned various protocols for inter-communication between chips and for developing a versatile module on a PCB used a CAD tool, NI Multisim. Developing my own set of protocols to make all modules work as a system was one of the best things I have enjoyed. To maintain the abstraction, a front end was designed using platform independent programming language to make the device completely user friendly, using just mouse clicks. Inspired by the research work carried out by Prof .Dr. Debjani Mitra, I started working under her guidance, during the end of 7th semester, on a mini project which aimed at stimulating a wireless interference channel form a ISM Band Frequency at 2.4 GHz. Simulations performed in MATLAB based on mathematical models of Interference channel carried out to find the optimal power required for a transmitter among many to effectively communicate with its receiver. Nave to the research oriented work; it gave me significant experience and helped to upgrade my confidence. When the determination to fulfil a dream is strong, our choices get strong. Placed in Damodar Valley Corporation, a prestigious thermal and hydro power generating public organisation in Eastern India, as a control and Instrumentation Engineer through campus I chose not to accept it, as my career interests differed. After graduation I delivered myself on another embedded systems project, to keep myself abreast with the latest technologies. I studied ARM-7 (LPC2148), RFID Module, GSM (SIMM 300) module, and Zigbee (XB Series 1) modules and implemented them in a project RFID Based Reservation System at Sigma Solutions, Hyderabad. By the end of project, while coding the ARM-7 C, I obtained proficiency over embedded programming. The front end graphic user interface constructed in the final year project stirred me into the world of application programming. With cloud computing a rapidly emerging trend changing the perspective of internet, I believed that it is a requisite for having knowledge on development platforms for stand-alone and web based applications. To acquire expertise in application development programming languages I am presently pursuing two diplomas one in Java and another in ASP.NET/C#. An education with English as medium of instruction for 12 years and active role in debates, quizzes, presentations at school level provided me immense support to head myself enthusiastically in college level participations. I have been involved actively from a volunteer in freshmen year to event coordinator in final year. Having given various seminars and presentations in college, I am certain to deliver a role in assistantship. My in-depth knowledge of various subjects and incessant deliberating and conversing skills would make me a worthy teacher. Exploring the course structure offered at Arizona State University, I find it fulfilling and assuring a career build around my potential. It
would be a great pleasure and honor for me if given a chance to ensue my graduate studies at your highly esteemed university and if given an opportunity to teach or do research work would not fall short of your expectations. I hope that you will find in me a deserving and creditable student for your renowned University.

Neela Krishna Teja Tadikonda